Georgian PM calls on law enforcement to show “maximum patience” amid protest rallies

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday called on law enforcement officers to show “maximum patience” amid ongoing protest rallies against the domestic bill on the transparency of foreign influence.

Commenting on the rallies that saw 63 protesters detained and six police officers injured, Kobakhidze told police professionals “I understand that it is not easy to take violence and abuse without response”.

He stressed “Georgia is a democratic state and the right to peaceful assembly and expression is firmly protected”, while calling on the public to “refrain from violent and illegal activities”.

“I would like to thank the Ministry of Internal Affairs, police officers who, despite large-scale violence and insults, managed to prevent violence and protect public safety as effectively as possible”, Kobakhidze said.

Of course, even today we expect that the rally of the radical political minority will take on a violent and illegal character. All this will be expressed, first of all, by attempts to block government buildings, by violence against the police and insults against them”, he continued.

The Government head stressed “all perpetrators and violators will be held accountable before the law”.  

"I call on the law-enforcement officers to exercise utmost patience. I understand that it can be challenging to endure violence and abuse without reacting. However, I urge everyone to demonstrate maximum patience when facing any violent or illegal actions by protesters", he noted.

Kobakhidze further claimed “any excessive use of force” by law enforcement officers would be “exploited by the radical opposition to cover up their own violent actions”.

Protests in Tbilisi have been ongoing against the bill that calls for registration of non-commercial legal entities and media outlets in the country as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they derive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad..

The draft law is undergoing its second hearing at the Parliament.