Ombudsman Calls for Law Enforcement Response to May 8 Beatings of Protest Activists
On May 9, hours after several protesters and opposition members were assaulted and beaten in Tbilisi by unidentified groups of people on May 8, in what appeared to be a coordinated act, the Public Defender of Georgia Levan Ioseliani issued a statement calling for the law enforcement response.
“No matter how unacceptable a different and critical opinion might be, persecuting people, intimidating their family members, including minor children, and physically retaliating against citizens are criminal acts, which require an immediate and effective response from the relevant law enforcement agencies,” the Ombudsman’s office stressed.
According to the Georgian Ombudsman, “it is important that any such violence be given a strict and appropriate response by the state so that it does not take the form of organized mass persecution and violence, which is incompatible with the principles of a democratic and lawful state based on human rights”.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior has not reacted to the beatings, instead dedicating today’s briefing to announcing the persecution of the anti-foreign agents law protesters.
Over the past two days, many activists, opposition, media, and civil society representatives, as well as ordinary citizens who have been taking part in the rallies against the Foreign Agents law have become targets of harassing and abusive telephone calls, whereby they and their family members have been threatened and insulted.
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