OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Leaders Condemn Violence Against Protesters in Georgia
On December 16, the Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, Lucie Potůčková together with the Committee’s Rapporteur, Carina Ödebrink issued a statement on the ongoing protests and violence against demonstrators in Georgia, reiterating their calls on the Georgian authorities to “uphold the fundamental freedoms of assembly and expression”.
“We are deeply concerned about the current situation in view of reports of violence against the Georgian citizens exercising their fundamental rights,” the statement reads. The OSCE representatives call for an immediate end to the persecution of political opposition and civil society and emphasize the need to uphold democratic principles as outlined in Georgia’s Constitution and OSCE commitments.
“We strongly reiterate that the excessive and indiscriminate use of force by law enforcement officials against protesters constitutes serious breaches of the right to peaceful assembly. Authorities need to ensure that all law enforcement respect these fundamental principles, as well as to promptly and thoroughly investigate any incidents and allegations of excessive force or misconduct against protesters, as called for by the Georgian Public Defender,” notes the statement.
OSCE representatives stress that they share the concerns expressed by the OSCE/ODIHR on the October 26 elections, the Foreign Agents law and the police violence against demonstrators. They also fully support OSCE Troika’s statement and the call from the OSCE PA Special Representative on the South Caucasus Luis Graça for all sides to engage in a constructive and open dialogue.
Also Read:
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)