Georgian CSOs Denounce Police Brutality and Illegal Arrests During April 16 Protests

Georgian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) issued a joint statement following the arrests on April 16 of 13 peaceful protesters “who enjoyed the right of freedom of assembly and expression and defended Georgia’s European future” in which they “strongly condemn” police actions.

The statement says that Georgian non-governmental organizations spent the entire night searching for the detainees in the detention centers, meeting with them, talking to them, and recording the facts of the violations of their rights. The statement also states that “most of the detainees have signs of physical injuries and three of them are currently hospitalized”.

The undersigned CSOs call upon the police “to stop illegal interference with freedom of expression and assembly, illegal arrests, and physical violence against citizens.” They also call on the Special Investigative Service “to investigate the alleged crimes committed by the police in the shortest possible time.”

The CSOs pledge to provide legal support to people who legitimately enjoy the right of freedom of expression.

At the press-briefing of the mentioned CSOs dedicated to the arrests and the conditions of the detained, the NGOs reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to protecting the rights of all detainees and providing legal assistance to those in need. They emphasized their commitment to serve the Georgian people and reiterated their protest against the “Russian law”.

The statement is signed by the following CSOs: Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA), Transparency International – Georgia (TI), Social Justice Center (SJC), Georgian Democratic Initiative (GDI), Rights Georgia (RG), International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), Human Rights Center (HRC), Partnership for Human Rights (PHR), Civil Society Foundation (CSF)

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