Human rights watchdogs call on police not to use force against demonstrators
Opposition politicians say they will sit at the negotiation table with the ruling party after their demands to dismiss the CEC chair and hold repeat parliamentary elections are met. Photo: Tornike Mandaria/RFERL
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Local non-governmental organisations Human Rights Education and Monitoring Centre (EMC), Transparency International Georgia (TI) and International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) call on the interior ministry not to use police forces against peaceful demonstrators.
EMC has stated that police started to use water cannons without informing the demonstrators who had gathered in front of the Central Election Commission (CEC) which is against the law.
Based on international standards, the measures like tear gas or water cannon, which pose high risk of harm, can be only used in case of mass violence, when no other measures are capable to counter the violence”, EMC stated.
It further noted that the video footage live streamed by various media outlets prove that there were no such preconditions on the ground. Therefore, police had no legal reason to disperse the demonstrators with water cannons.
- Interior Ministry denies using tear gas, says police used 'proportional force' against demonstrators
EMC calls on the Georgian government and the interior ministry not to use ‘disproportionate force’ against the demonstrators; it also calls on the political parties to spare no efforts to ‘de-escalate the political processes’ and to start negotiations.
Photo: EMC/Facebook
TI Georgia has also claimed that police used water cannons without informing the demonstrators and started to warn them only after their previous act caused anger among the public.
The watchdog has also urged that the authorities should act in favour of ‘high public interest’ and give demonstrators ability to exercise their right to protest 'peacefully'.
ISFED has also expressed its concern over the usage of ‘disproportionate force’ against the demonstrators in front of the CEC, claiming the protest has been peaceful.
Meanwhile, opposition politicians, who refuse to take their parliamentary mandates and demand to hold repeat parliamentary elections, said they will stay at the CEC overnight.
They have also announced that despite the curfew which takes effect on November 9, they will continue 'permanent rallies' until all of their demands are met.