Photo: by Nikoloz Urushadze

On June 20-21, 2019,  the society once again witnessed the dispersion of a large-scale protest rally by using disproportionate police force. The dispersal of the action was followed by an administration detention of 305 persons, and a number of people had been seriously injured.

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association was involved in the cases of detained and victimized persons from the outset. For the time being, GYLA has litigated 74 cases of individuals detained under the administrative procedure. Off the above-reported cases, the Tbilisi City Court, in the absence of infraction, has terminated the proceeding in the part of 15 persons only, and applied to the admonition in 16 cases. The Tbilisi City Court has fined 17 persons and the Court of Appeals will consider their cases. The most severe sanction – administrative imprisonment had been used by the First Instance Court against 20 persons, however, afterword, the term of imprisonment was reduced and they were freed. The Tbilisi City Court has not taken any decision over the case of 6 persons in GYLA`s proceeding and continues their consideration.

Currently, GYLA also advocates for 17 victims, including journalist who have already been interrogated in the General Prosecutor's Office.

Given the scope of the rights abuse on June 20-21, GYLA is preparing a report, which will analyze the systematic and individual cases of violation and cover the following:

- The right to peaceful assembly and the formal grounds of the rally dispersal;

- Analysis of the methods used by the police in the course of dispersal;

- Analysis of facts of power abuse and post-detention ill-treatment, including cases obstructing journalistic activity; 

- Analysis of the practice of using administrative detention against those in the relation with rally;

-  Analysis of the cases of administrative offences considered in the courts of First and Second Instances.