Georgia: 'Heavy-handed' dismantling of protest camp condemned

After only a 15-minute warning, special unit police deployed water cannon to forcibly clear the encampment, with several protesters reportedly injured

‘All peaceful protesters who remain in detention must be immediately released.’ - Denis Krivosheev

Amnesty International has condemned the “heavy-handed” police dismantling of a protest encampment near the Tbilisi State University campus in Georgia’s capital earlier today.

Demonstrators had been protesting for two days against the disputed results of recent parliamentary elections in the country.

The dismantling began with an ultimatum from law-enforcement officers demanding that protesters remove their tents within 15 minutes. When the demand was not met, police deployed special units and water cannons to forcibly clear the site. According to media reports, at least 12 protesters were detained during the operation, and several were injured.

The encampment protest followed an announcement by Georgia’s Central Election Commission’s on 16 November of election results, which the opposition contests.

Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Deputy Director, said:

“The Georgian authorities must fully comply with their obligations to respect and protect the right to freedom of assembly.

“People have a right to peacefully protest without fear of violence, intimidation or unlawful arrests.

“This heavy-handed police response undermines these principles and underscores the current government’s approach to fundamental human rights.

“All peaceful protesters who remain in detention must be immediately released.”