Statements
Statement of Human Rights Center on the ongoing criminal investigations into the cases related to the events of July 5-6
04.08.2021
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HRC continues to protect the rights of the individuals affected by the violent counter-protests against the March of Dignity on July 5-6, 2021.
HRC is processing 16 cases, the vast majority of which are related to the acts of violence against media representatives and interference with journalistic activities.
Up to the date, 9 persons have been granted victim status, which will allow the lawyers of HRC to study in detail the case files in the nearest future and evaluate the investigative and procedural actions taken by the investigating agencies, meaning the actions on which respective court decisions would significantly depend on.
Unfortunately, the investigative bodies have not yet identified all the persons involved in the violent acts and, consequently, the organizers of the violent acts have not been prosecuted.
As in previous years, despite the demands of civil society organizations and part of the public, the authorities permanently refrain from taking appropriate legal actions against the organizers of violent acts committed by the radical groups. Moreover, very often the rhetoric of some of the high-ranking officials and organizers of the violent groups matches, facilitating the instigations of the acts of violence and increasing the polarization of society.
Human Rights Center calls on
Georgian authorities:
- To facilitate the identification of the organizers of the acts of violence and attacks on the reporters committed on July 5-6, which were pre-planned and well-organized actions, as well as to identify the organizations or individuals funding the radical forces;
- To facilitate the identification of the possible involvement of hostile foreign state authorities and special services in the violent acts, and to react on the facts in legal and political terms.
- To increase the transparency and efficiency of the process, to set up a multi-faction commission under the auspices of the Parliament, and to enhance the cooperation with the relevant agencies of the partner states in order to conduct the investigation effectively.
Investigative bodies:
- To ensure a thorough and objective conduct of the investigation process in order to identify all persons involved in the violent events of July 5-6 and to identify the organizers of the actions and to prosecute them legally in an appropriate manner;
- To ensure a thorough and effective investigation into the actions of officials and low ranking police officers of the Ministry of Interior of Georgia during the July 5-6 violence, in terms of deploying the number police forces, managing rallies and taking measures to prevent the violence.
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