**Public Defender Condemns Police Violence Against Protesters**
The Public Defender of Georgia, Levan Ioseliani, has spoken out against the police’s handling of a protest rally on November 29-30. He called on citizens to contact his office if they were violated.
On the night of November 29-30, police took measures against protesters on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. The Public Defender said that individual actions by citizens should be addressed with specific and proportional measures, not a complete disbandment of the rally.
The use of special means against peaceful protesters was also unjustified. Dozens of citizens were arrested in the morning hours of November 30. Video recordings show law enforcement officers using force indiscriminately, detaining anyone they could reach, and abusing detainees.
**Rights Violations Documented**
Peaceful demonstrators, journalists, and detainees were subjected to torture, inhuman, and degrading treatment, which is prohibited by the Constitution of Georgia and the European Convention.
The Public Defender’s office has met with arrested citizens and visited them in clinics and isolation cells. Among them was journalist Mariam Gafrindashvili, who was injured while performing her duty at the protest rally.
**Investigations Ongoing**
The Public Defender continues to visit detainees in different cities. His office urges anyone who experienced rights violations to contact their hotline (14 81) 24 hours a day.
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