GYLA presents findings of the report on June 20-21 events (ka)

On November 27, the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) presented a legal assessment of the June 20-21 events. The report, developed with the support from USAID/PROLoG, looks into human rights violations during and after the dispersal of the rally. Based on a comprehensive analysis GYLA found that the application of force against participants was unlawful and disproportionate to the threats posed. Numerous cases of physical and verbal abuse by law enforcement officers were reported, including inhuman treatment of arrested individuals. The rights of media professionals were also violated. The Ministry of Internal Affairs massively and indiscriminately arrested protesters, and, as a result, 121 individuals were subjected to detention, the strictest administrative sanction. The judicial review of cases of administrative violations revealed the problems of the Code of Administrative Violations, which has been widely recognized as an outdated regulation, often used as an instrument for the restriction of the right to assembly.

The presentation attracted the interest of civil society organizations, legal professionals, and international donors. GYLA is planning to continue to advocate for reform of the Code of Administrative Violations, as well as addressing other issues identified in this study.