Parliament official: amendments to law “in no way restrict peaceful assembly, demonstrations”

Givi Mikanadze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Education and Science Committee, on Thursday said amendments to the Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations, on review by the legislative body, were focused on the “protection of human life” and “in no way” restricted “peaceful assembly and demonstrations”.

Mikanadze, one of the co-authors of the amendments that would ban construction of “temporary structures” during protests if they “pose danger to demonstrators or other persons”, “interfere with the protection of public order” or “cause disruption in normal operation of enterprises”, said the bill had been created “in compliance with international norms”.

The [domestic] opposition has nothing to say [about the bill]. Radicals are trying to wrap their positions with non-existent motives. The bill is focused on the interests of the public, on more values, on the protection of human life, and does not in any way restrict peaceful assembly and demonstrations”, Mikanadze said.

The Parliament approved the bill in the first of three readings through supporting votes of 75 MPs, with 23 voting against. Those voting against the amendments claimed they could pose threats to the right of expression and hamper peaceful demonstrations. The amendments will be reviewed in two further sessions at the lawmaking body.

The Office of the Public Defender of Georgia on Wednesday said the bill represented an “intense” interference with freedom of expression and assembly, and further pointed out that such restriction of freedom of expression in a democratic society can be justified only by the need to protect an “important, weighty” interest, which “is not revealed by the presented bill”.