The observation of events developed around the March of Dignity makes it clear that Tbilisi Pride was not only denied the constitutional right to freedom of assembly by the authorities, but the latter also directly encouraged radical groups, through criminal inaction and statements made by high political officials, to use violence against journalists, public organizations and civil society.
The Georgian Dream political authorities’ explicit loyalist attitude towards structurally united hate groups, the proof of which is the fact that the acts of violence committed by them have not been responded for years, was reaffirmed on July 5, when the Government demonstratively refused to use legal police measures against the well-organised violence.
Given that the mobilization of violent groups on the basis of the call by the Georgian Patriarchate was uncovered and lasted several days, the mobilization of an extremely small number of police forces by the Ministry of Internal Affairs showed that the Georgian Dream political authorities did not intend to prevent violence. This was made especially evident after the authorities did not mobilize additional police forces to disperse the violent gathering and tackle violence even after the scale of violence increased - violent groups ransacked offices and physically assaulted journalists and passers-by on the street, which was broadcast live.
The inaction of the police clearly indicates the insufficient mobilization of the police force, as well as the lack of proper political will to detain the easily identifiable participants in the violence.
The Democracy Research Institute considers that:
The Democracy Research Institute considers it necessary to:
The case of
former de facto deputies of South Ossetia’s de facto parliament, David Sanakoyev,
Garry Muldarov and Dzambolat Medoyev, who are appealing the decision to revoke
their citizenship of the Russian Federation, remains unresolved to date.
To silence critical media, “Georgian Dream” tries to use financial sanctions. Following several television, online and radio broadcasters, regional media have now also been affected.
Issuance of movement permits, required for travel within and beyond Akhalgori district, has been resumed.