GYLA demands legal actions after police official “confirms violence” amid protests

The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) has raised concerns regarding recent remarks made by Zviad Kharazishvili, head of the Special Tasks Department at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, acknowledging the use of aggressive tactics by special forces.

In a statement, GYLA expressed deep alarm over Kharazishvili’s admission of maintaining a predetermined list for targeting specific individuals, stating, “I don’t beat young people, I beat bad men. We have a list…” Such revelations, GYLA emphasized, not only sanction violence but also pose a risk of further misconduct by law enforcement personnel.

GYLA underscored that alleged deliberate recourse to violence not only violated human dignity but also breached fundamental rights and urged the Ministry of Internal Affairs to “immediately halt” the adoption of violent and rights-infringing tactics, emphasizing the imperative of safeguarding the right to peaceful assembly and the physical well-being of all protesters.

Moreover, GYLA called upon staff within the Special Tasks Department to reject any illegitimate directives, highlighting the potential legal ramifications of complying with unlawful commands.

Addressing the need for accountability, GYLA demanded prompt and thorough action by the Special Investigation Service to investigate instances of violence perpetrated by law enforcement officers. Georgian opposition leaders also accused the law enforcement official of alleged violence and called for investigation and “proper response” amidst mass protests in the capital city against the foreign transparency bill.