Public Defender says law enforcement’s “strict response” on “violent attacks” on opposition members, demonstrators “important”
Ioseliani called on law enforcement bodies to “immediately respond [to the incidents] and provide information on implemented measures to the public”. Photo: Public Defender's Office
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Levan Ioseliani, the Georgian Public Defender, on Thursday stressed the importance of the law enforcement’s “strict and appropriate response” to “violent attacks” on representatives of the domestic opposition and participants of protests against the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence in Tbilisi on Wednesday.
Ioseliani’s comments followed a group of individuals physically assaulting Dimitri Chikovani, the Secretary of Public Relations and Communications of the opposition United National Movement party, near his residential house, while the brother of Zurab Girchi Japaridze, the leader of the Girchi - More Freedom opposition party, and several activists were also attacked.
The official said the cases should be prevented from turning into “mass organised persecution and violence”, which he said was “incompatible with the principles of a democratic and legal state based on human rights”.
He also stressed persecution of individuals, intimidation of family members and minors, and physical retaliation against citizens were criminal acts that required an “immediate and effective response from relevant law enforcement agencies”.
Ioseliani called on law enforcement bodies to “immediately respond [to the incidents] and provide information on implemented measures to the public”.
Levan Ioseliani, the Georgian Public Defender, on Wednesday called on protesters against the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence to maintain a “peaceful form of gathering” while also urging law enforcement to “refrain from interfering with the freedom of expression of our citizens”.
Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri on Thursday said his office had launched an investigation into “violent attacks” by unknown individuals on representatives of domestic opposition and participants of protests against the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence.
Sulkhan Tamazashvili, the Director of Tbilisi Police Department, on Thursday said law enforcement officers had arrested six individuals for assaulting a police officer and damaging property during recent series of public protests over the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence in the country’s capital Tbilisi.
The Personal Data Protection Service on Wednesday said it would study the legality of processing citizens' telephone numbers by unknown individuals, after several citizens received phone calls from both foreign and Georgian numbers, in which the callers used “hateful and abusive” language towards them.