Police say 66 detained in transparency bill protest after “throwing stones, Molotov cocktail” at law enforcement
The statement also said the protest had “gone beyond the scope established by the law on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly” and had taken a “violent character”. Photo: MIA of Georgia
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The Georgian police on Wednesday said it had arrested 66 people for “petty hooliganism”, disobedience to law enforcement and throwing “Molotov cocktails and stones” at officers during a protest outside the Parliament building in Tbilisi after the legislative body gave its initial backing to a proposed bill on transparency of foreign influence in its first reading.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs said it had launched an investigation into the violent incidents that took place late on Tuesday as the protests involved citizens and opposition politicians protesting against the bill that involves registration of non-commercial legal entities and media outlets in the country as “agents of foreign influence” if they derive more than 20 percent of their income from abroad.
Appropriate legal assessment [by the Ministry] will be given to the actions of all persons who facilitated and organised the transformation of a peaceful protest into violent action”, the Ministry said.
The statement also said the protest had “gone beyond the scope established by the law on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly” and had taken a “violent character”.
Those gathered near the Parliament building tried to block the entrances to the Parliament, but were prevented from doing so by police. Despite numerous calls for order from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, to protest in a peaceful manner [and] within the framework of the law, the participants of the rally continued their violent actions and did not obey the legal demands of the law enforcement officers”, it also added.
Participants of the rally threw “stones, inflammable means, blunt objects” at law enforcement officers and “assaulted” police members, the Ministry added, noting they had also damaged and set fire to police vehicles.
The police were forced to consistently use proportional force and special means of coercion provided by the Law of Georgia on Police in order to restore public order and prevent violations, following the appropriate warning”, the state body said.
“Later, the demonstrators started an organised attack on the Parliament building, throwing Molotov cocktails and pyrotechnics, including in the direction of law enforcement officers”, it also noted.
The Ministry said the demonstrators “set fire to the building” of the legislative body, broke windows and damaged the protective barriers, with about 50 employees of the Ministry injured in the incidents.
Newly appointed Public Defender of Georgia, Levan Ioseliani, on Tuesday called on the Interior Ministry not to use coercive and “disproportionate” measures against the peaceful participants gathered currently in front of the Parliament building to protest the approval of the transparency bill by the legislative body earlier today, and urged the protesters not to go beyond the legal framework.
The Georgian Parliament on Tuesday continued discussions of the proposed bill that involves registration of non-commercial legal entities and media outlets in the country as “agents of foreign influence” if they derive more than 20 percent of their income from abroad, local media said.
A public protest was launched on Monday outside the Parliament of Georgia in capital Tbilisi in a demonstration against the proposed bill on registration of non-commercial legal entities and media outlets in the country as “agents of foreign influence” if they derive more than 20 percent of their income from abroad.
Sozar Subari, a member of People's Power - a public movement composed of former members of the ruling Georgian Dream party - on Wednesday said it was “impossible that what is good for American democracy turns out bad for Georgia”, in comments on the proposed controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday vowed the Georgian authorities’ support for the country’s European integration by saying the “march forward to Europe” would be facilitated “with Christianity”, “with sovereignty” and “with dignity”.
Josep Borrell, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on Tuesday said the proposed Georgian bill on the transparency of foreign influence, which passed the first reading at the country’s Parliament on Tuesday, was “incompatible” with European Union values and standards.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said the Georgian authorities had showed “utmost respect” to the European institutions by forwarding the proposed domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence, which passed the first reading at the country’s Parliament on Tuesday, to the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe for opinion.
Irakli Chikovani, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday claimed a “destructive revanchist campaign” by a part of the domestic opposition amid controversy around the proposed bill on transparency of foreign influence, alleging the opposition was aiming to cause “dissatisfaction and agitation” among the public using the subject.
Georgia’s Special Investigation Service on Wednesday announced it was investigating alleged instances of abuse of power by law enforcement officers during a rally in central Tbilisi late on Tuesday that protested the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday published the letter sent by the official to Bazy Malaurie, the President of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe, for requesting the body’s opinion on the controversial bill on transparency of foreign influence that has met by a backlash in Georgia.
The Georgian police detained ten more people for disobedience to law enforcement during a protest outside the Parliament building in Tbilisi after the legislative body gave its initial backing to a proposed bill on transparency of foreign influence in its first reading, the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.