On June 1, 2021, the Ministry of Internal Affairs issued a statement, according to which, on June 1, during the arrest of I.M., born in 1992, on the basis of an arrest warrant, in the village of Sakulia, police officers were resisted by locals. According to the statement, law enforcement officials were attacked, due to which, police fired "warning shots" and used special equipment to defuse the confrontation.[1]
At the same time, according to media footage, locals accused the police of abuse of power and disproportionate use of force, which damaged the health of two people.[2]
As cases of abuse of power through violence or the use of weapons by the law enforcement officials fall within the investigative jurisdiction of the State Inspector’s Office, the Democracy Research Institute calls on the State Inspector’s Office to respond appropriately to the case if signs of crime are detected.
The Democracy Research Institute is closely monitoring developments in the Rioni Gorge and will properly assess the unjustified restrictions on the rights and freedoms enshrined in law.
[1] Statement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia on June 1, 2021, available at: https://police.ge/ge/shinagan-saqmeta-saministros-gantskhadeba/14671
[2]https://mtavari.tv/news/45644-siskhliani-spetsoperatsia-sasaplaoze-akhali?fbclid=IwAR3pbgXlkKKk6M4ZIKQH_knOyceQ2eNhwbq6tCgf__Iu18Yr3vKt0vZKn8Q
The decision taken by the state in relation to Azerbaijani journalist constitutes a grave violation of human rights, including breaches of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights.
Russia continues to pursue deliberate efforts aimed at the annexation of Georgia’s occupied territories with soft power instruments.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau was established in 2022 in response to recommendations issued by the European Commission, which called for strengthening the independence and functional capacity of anti-corruption institutions.
