Opposition MPs summon interior minister in parliament over rally dispersal in March

A part of the opposition MPs on Tuesday said they had used a measure offered by the legislative body and summoned the interior minister Vakhtang Gomelauri to the body to ask questions over the rally dispersal in central Tbilisi between March 7-9, held against the controversial foreign agents bill that was later rejected. 

 

“A disproportionate force was used during the rally dispersal. One person lost his sight. We have no information on the punishment of any police officer, we have not seen any self-reflection statement made by any agency”, opposition MP Khatia Dekanoidze said. 

 

Demonstrators demanded the dropping of the bill that envisaged the registration of domestic NGOs and media organizations as foreign agents if they received more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad, without specifying allied and hostile states. 

 

The bill was widely condemned by the international community as a “Russian law” that could “silence independent voices” in the country and critical media. 

 

The rally saw 132 demonstrators arrested, with the ministry claiming its 57 employees had received injuries during the clash with protesters.