FIDH and HRIDC joint press-release
Paris-Tbilisi, April 24, 2009 – The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisation Human Rights Center (HRIDC) express their concerns on the repeated acts of harassment and violence directed at peaceful demonstrators in the capital Tbilisi.
On April 9 2009, thousands of peaceful demonstrators from the opposition have started to gather in the capital Tbilisi, calling for the resignation of President Saakashvili. The protests are ongoing to this day.
According to information gathered by HRIDC, violent attacks on demonstrators have been occurring almost every day. Dozens of demonstrators have been attacked while on their way back home in the evening, by unknown assaillants often wearing masks and armed with batons (e.g. the popular singer Z. Manjavidze was attacked on his way back home from the protest on April 15). In most instances, the attackers rode luxury cars and used them to corner their victims and render their escape impossible (e.g. I. Khukhuneishvili, O. Chelidze, N. Archavadze and E. Baramidze had their way blocked by 3 jeeps on April 10). All attacks seem to follow the same pattern, to target specifically figures from the opposition and/or activists taking part in the protest. Testimonies point to the lack of reaction from the police, who in some cases stands accused of turning a blind eye to the attacks.
FIDH and HRIDC call upon the Georgian authorities: here >>>
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