Media outlets have reported about a verbal confrontation between organizers of demonstration and police officers, which took place at a demonstration held today in connection with the International Workers’ Day. On the basis of eyewitness accounts, the media reported that the demonstration was almost over when the police detained demonstrators for moving onto the carriageway. The detainees include members of student organization ‘Laboratory 1918’ and a journalist of Liberali magazine.

TI Georgia calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to study the said incident. In particular, it is important to establish:

1. whether or not the demonstration created a real obstacle for vehicles moving along Rustaveli Avenue;
2. whether or not law enforcement officers have interfered with journalistic activity;
3. whether or not the patrol police have interfered with the demonstration by exceeding their powers;
4. whether or not law enforcement bodies used adequate sanctions and whether or not it was possible to use other, less drastic methods to regulate the situation.

TI Georgia believes it important that demonstrators comply fully with the requirements of law, although we also believe that law enforcement agencies should safeguard citizens’ freedom of speech and expression in accordance with the requirements of law while performing their official duties. Patrol police officers should be under more obligation to be patient; all their actions should be adequate for the situation and serve to diffuse the tension on the ground and to protect the rights of all citizens as much as possible. We think that today’s demonstration had a peaceful character, and officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs could have resorted to measures that would not have caused tension on the ground.