Twelve Georgian non-governmental organizations are actively working to protect the rights of individuals arrested or injured during the April-May protests against the "Russian law." The authorities, in an effort to suppress dissent and penalize activists, continue to employ disproportionate force, mass arrests, inhumane treatment, and criminal prosecutions.

Between April 15 and May 15, the unified hotline of non-governmental organizations recorded 189 arrests under Articles 166 (petty hooliganism) and 173 (disobedience to lawful police orders) of the Administrative Offenses Code. Additionally, approximately 30 peaceful demonstrators contacted us after being fined under Article 125 (road blocking) and Articles 150, 150(1), and 150(2) (unauthorized placement of inscriptions, drawings, or banners). Fines and penalties were also reported under Article 174(1) (violation of rules for organizing gatherings or demonstrations). Furthermore, criminal investigations have been initiated against seven individuals.

Detainees frequently report physical and verbal abuse by law enforcement officers during their arrests. In most cases, the use of force by police appears punitive rather than aimed at preventing illegal actions. Severe instances of excessive force have led to some detainees requiring emergency medical treatment, including surgeries for critical injuries.

A troubling trend is the lack of transparency regarding detainees taken directly to medical facilities by law enforcement officers. Lawyers and families are often unable to locate them promptly. Some injured detainees were not registered as emergency patients in medical records, and temporary detention centers often fail to document injuries properly, hindering effective investigations.

The widespread accounts of abuse, coupled with the number of injuries and detainee testimonies, suggest a systematic pattern of violence, inhumane treatment, and humiliation of protesters, seemingly sanctioned by decision-makers. In certain cases, the severity and brutality of police violence amount to torture.

The Special Investigation Service has been informed of these incidents and initiated an investigation into the potential abuse of official authority involving violence against protesters. However, the public has yet to receive any updates on the investigation’s progress or outcomes.

Notably, in violation of European Court of Human Rights standards, many police officers present at these protests lack identifiable markings and often wear camouflage, complicating their identification in cases of misconduct (see Tsaava and Others v. Georgia, nos. 13186/20, para. 223). Alarmingly, the Special Investigation Service has not addressed this problematic practice, which undermines human rights protections.

The inaction of the Special Investigation Service and the Prosecutor's Office regarding identifiable officers implicated in documented crimes is deeply concerning. Delayed responses in cases where sufficient evidence for prosecution already exists embolden law enforcement officers to commit similar violations.

We call on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to:

• To refuse violent practices that are against the law, incompatible with the protection of human rights and violate dignity;
• Do not prevent the participants of the peaceful demonstration from expressing their peaceful protest.

We call on the special investigative service:

• To ensure a complete and objective investigation of allegedly arbitrary arrests, use of disproportionate force, physical violence against detainees by law enforcement officers with appropriate qualifications;
• Due to the high public interest, periodically provide information to the public about the initiation of the investigation, conducted investigative actions and the results of the investigation;
• In a timely manner, grant victim status to those persons who were harmed as a result of the police actions used during the April-May protests.

We call on the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia to:

• Utilize exclusive authority and professional expertise to initiate criminal prosecution against police officers whose crimes are substantiated by substantial evidence. 

The Legal Aid Network of non-governmental organizations remains committed to defending the rights of those arrested during protests against the "Russian law."

No to Russian law! Yes to Europe!

Member organizations of the Legal Aid Network:

Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA)

Transparency International - Georgia (TI)

Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI)

Rights Georgia (RG)

International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED)

Partnership for Human Rights (PHR)

Civil Society Foundation (CSF)

Women's Initiatives Supporting Group (WISG)

Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI)

Social Justice Center (SJC)