Special Investigation Service launches inquiry into alleged excessive use of force by law enforcement against Tbilisi protest

The Special Investigation Service of Georgia on Monday said it had launched an investigation into alleged excessive use of force by law enforcement officers against participants of a public protest against the controversial domestic bill on transparency of foreign influence outside the Parliament in capital Tbilisi on Monday.

The body said it was “committed to taking appropriate legal action” against “all instances of excessive force”.

The Interior Ministry on Monday said organisers and participants of the rally had “publicly declared that they would not allow the Parliament members to attend and participate” in a session of the Legal Committee, scheduled early on Monday, that was set to review the third and final reading of the draft law, which 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 body added law enforcement officers had “repeatedly called on organisers and participants of manifestation to clear the entrances” of the legislative body and allow Parliament members and staff to “enter the building and exercise their parliamentary powers”.

The statement also said that “despite numerous appeals made by the police to the organisers and participants of the rally not to exceed the limits defined by the law on assembly and manifestation, some of the demonstrators ignored the legal request of the police”. It claimed the individuals “violated public order, resisted and insulted law enforcement officers”, and added 20 of the alleged violators had been arrested.

Levan Ioseliani, the Public Defender of Georgia, on Monday urged law enforcement to “act within the framework of legislation” and explained use of force “must be necessary and proportionate, aimed at carrying out a specific legal measure and in no case should it turn into targeted violence [or] retaliation against citizens”.

• Georgian Public Defender says alleged “ill-treatment” of citizens by police observed at protest against bill on transparency of foreign influence

He added, “unfortunately, we have again observed cases of alleged ill-treatment of citizens by the police”.

The Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliament on Monday approved the bill in its third hearing.