Georgia Investigates Abuse of Power and Rights Violations
The Special Investigation Service in Georgia is looking into claims that authorities misused their power during protests in Tbilisi last November and December. The investigation started on December 5.
Many people have complained about the way they were treated by police. These complaints came to the service through a hotline, as well as from other organizations like the Public Defender’s Office and the Media Ombudsman. In total, the service received 319 reports of rights violations.
The investigation is looking at several things, including how police treated protesters and journalists. So far, 140 people have been questioned, including five journalists. Some people have also had medical check-ups to see if they were hurt during the protests.
To gather evidence, investigators are watching hours of TV footage that was shared online. They’re also asking hospitals for records about treating injuries from the protests. The Ministry of Interior has given them information about people who were held in police stations and any medical care they received.
The investigation will release updates as it goes along.
Protests started on November 28 after Georgia announced it would stop its talks with the EU to join their group. Since then, there have been many reports of police being too aggressive, hurting people and breaking human rights rules. It’s hard for investigators to find out who exactly was involved in these actions because most police officers wear masks to hide their faces.
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