Georgian Interior Ministry says “a number of discrediting false accusations” spread on behalf of NGOs, political groups over measures taken by Ministry at manifestations

Georgian Interior Ministry on Friday said a number of discrediting “false accusations” were spread on behalf of the representatives of non-governmental organisations and members of various political groups over the last few days regarding the measures taken by the Ministry at the manifestations.

In a statement, the Ministry noted that this information only served to discredit the agency and the law enforcement officers.

“On behalf of the representatives of non-governmental organizations and members of various political groups, a number of false accusations have been spread within the last few days regarding the measures taken by the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the manifestation in order to discredit the law enforcement officers. The public is able to clearly see that when a protest takes place within the framework of a peaceful assembly and there are no violent events, the police provide all necessary measures so that the participants of the assembly have the opportunity to freely express their protest”, the statement said.

The Ministry highlighted that the purpose of some of the individuals attending the rally was to carry out violent actions from the beginning as they had illegal items with them like stones, iron construction materials, pyrotechnics etc., and added that “in the course of the protests, after the gathering became a mass breach of peace, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in order to de-escalate the situation, carried out consistent measures in full compliance of the law”.

The Ministry noted that a number of criminal acts committed by the participants of the rally had been recorded, along with the ongoing violent actions on Rustaveli Avenue and its surrounding area, including robbery attacks, up to 60 incidents of theft, various types of stealing inventory, cash, clothes and other items.

“We would like to respond to the spread information and inform the public that according to Article 26, paragraph II of the Law On Police and Article 249 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, the police has the right to temporarily confiscate or seize a person's actual possession of an item in the case defined by the law”, the statement noted

“Personal belongings, which were confiscated on the basis of the above-mentioned norms, were returned to the detained persons in temporary detention centers, according to the acting legislation, upon release. The spread of information, alleging that the employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs illegally confiscated personal belongings from the arrestees, is a complete falsehood and only serves to discredit the Agency and the law enforcement officers”, the statement continued.

The Ministry further added that on the alleged use of excessive force from the side of the policemen, the special investigative service was conducting an investigation.

On November 28, the ongoing protest on Rustaveli Avenue, outside the Parliament building, went beyond the norms established by the law on assembly and manifestation and took on a violent character, which has been persistent and intense up to date.

As a result of violent actions, 171 police officers injured, up to 10 police officers needed a complex surgical intervention, up to 40 law enforcement officers received serious injuries in face, head and eye areas as a result of the stones thrown by the protestors as well as, up to 60 police officers received multiple burns to face, limbs and body areas as a result of pyrotechnics, while one police officer suffered significant hearing loss as a result of the trauma caused by pyrotechnics. Also many citizens and media representatives were injured, the property of individuals and legal entities was damaged, and the infrastructure of Tbilisi City Hall.