📢 The Ministry of Internal Affairs actively uses facial recognition cameras to identify protest participants, often relying solely on these images as evidence in court without considering the context. This practice poses a serious threat to privacy, freedom of expression, and the right to assembly. 🛑 Additionally, the agency has recently purchased 30 new facial and emotion recognition cameras. Such technologies enable targeted surveillance, a method commonly used by authoritarian regimes to suppress dissent. ⚖️ GYLA calls on the Personal Data Protection Service to investigate: 🔹 Whether a data protection impact assessment was conducted in accordance with the law; 🔹 The legality of access to protected data and its compliance with privacy standards. 📌 Read the full statement:

The “Georgian Dream” is trying to suppress the protest through repressive laws and the judiciary. With the administrative detention term having been increased fourfold, along with more severe fines, it is clear that the purpose of these amendments is to punish and intimidate people. Hundreds have already been fined and subjected to administrative detention, while dozens are in prison, awaiting trial under criminal charges. All of this has turned into a tool for the political fight – critical voices are being punished, and the judiciary has become an instrument for punishing participants of protests.

According to information that spread , journalist Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani will no longer serve as the anchor of the news program Moambe on the Public Broadcaster for an indefinite period. This development is part of the ongoing repression against free speech and objective journalism, violating not only the rights of journalists but also the public’s right to receive unbiased information from an institution whose independence is guaranteed by the Constitution. Link:

#GYLA urges the Prosecutor General's Office of Georgia to initiate criminal proceedings against Zviad Kharazishvili and suspend his authority We urge the Prosecutor General of Georgia, Giorgi Gabitashvili, as the senior prosecutor overseeing the department responsible for procedural guidance of the ongoing investigation at the Special Investigation Service, to ensure effective procedural supervision and promptly inform the public about the actions taken regarding today's events. In addition, we demand that criminal prosecution be initiated against Zviad Kharazishvili (Khareba) and that his authority be suspended, as the released footage clearly shows his use of violence against a person under the effective control of the police. Furthermore, the repeated and systematic crimes committed by employees of the Special Tasks Department during the November-December 2024 protests establish his responsibility as a commander. Link :

Mzia Amaghlobeli’s action – her hand coming into contact with Irakli Dgebuadze’s face – does not contain any of the elements required for the charge under Article 353¹. Even Irakli Dgebuadze’s own statements, which he gave to the investigation in this case, do not support the qualification under Article 353¹. According to his description, after the contact, he experienced redness on his right cheek and ear and felt pain. However, according to case law, physical pain confirmed only by perception does not fall under the definition of assault. Moreover, Mzia Amaghlobeli’s action could not even have caused physical pain, which excludes a criminal charge under this article or any other, less severe articles of the Criminal Code. Therefore, the criminal charge against Mzia Amaghlobeli represents an act of intimidation and political repression. Considering the Circumstances, We Demand: · The prosecution to immediately terminate the unlawful criminal case against Mzia Amaghlobeli; · Mzia Amaghlobeli to be released immediately from unlawful detention; · The Special Investigation Service to fulfill its obligations and promptly investigate the inhumane treatment of Mzia Amaghlobeli; · Irakli Dgebuadze to be suspended from his official duties pending the completion of the investigation. Link >

#GYLA demands the immediate suspension of Batumi Police Chief Irakli Dgebuadze Official Powers. Allegations include verbal and physical abuse, spitting in Mzia Amaghlobeli’s face, and denial of basic needs. Urgent investigation required. Details:

Mzia Amaghlobeli's case once again underscores that the judiciary is failing to fulfill its role and is making politically motivated decisions. The charges against her are an unlawful punitive measure based on her professional activities and political motives rather than any criminal wrongdoing. The charges were brought in violation of the law under an article that lacks evidentiary support in this case and does not meet the standard of reasonable assumption required for criminal charges. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) will provide further analysis on this matter. As for the application of detention as a measure of restraint - it was also carried out unlawfully and without proper legal justification. Link:

According to the information available to the Legal Aid Network of non-governmental organizations, on January 11, 2024, police in Tbilisi and Batumi detained more than ten peaceful demonstrators. Some of them are still being held in temporary detention facilities. Detainees, when communicating with their lawyers, reported targeted and unlawful use of force by the police. In this context, there were not only cases of excessive use of force during and after the detentions but also instances of ill-treatment, which included physical, psychological, and verbal abuse. Throughout the night, lawyers attempted to meet with the detainees and provide them with legal assistance. Read 👉

📣 On 11 January 2025, Tbilisi City Court Judge Irakli Khuskivadze reviewed the preventive detention of eight defendants arrested during the November-December 2024 protests. The defendants—Nikoloz Javakhishvili, Tornike Goshadze, Irakli Miminoshvili, Zviad Tsetskhladze, Vepkhvo Kasradze, Vasil Kadzelashvili, Giorgi Gorgadze, and Insaf Aliyev—had their detentions upheld as the judge once again granted the prosecutor's motion to keep them in custody. ⭕️ In addition to the baseless nature of the preventive measure, today's hearing was alarming due to the gross disregard for the defendants' right to defense, which, according to GYLA, constitutes a violation of their right to a fair trial. Furthermore, the fact that the review of the preventive measure was conducted by the same judge raised serious concerns about impartiality and fairness in the judicial process. Read more :

📣 On January 10, 2025, Judge Ketevan Jachvadze of the Tbilisi City Court upheld the prosecutor's motion to extend the detention of 11 activists. #GYLA believes there was no valid basis for extending the detention. The court's approval of unsubstantiated motions by the prosecution undermines its role and effectively positions it as a continuation of the prosecutor’s office. 👉 Read GYLA’s full assessment here:

Since 28 November 2024, the scale and coordination of the violence confirm that a criminal operation against the civil engagement is taking place.

🛑 1 Month of Protest in Georgia: A Fight for Democracy Since 28 November 2024, Georgia has seen daily, peaceful, large-scale protests sparked by the government suspending 🇪🇺 EU accession talks. Citizens demand democracy, free elections, and human rights. 🚨 Gov't response: - Torture & degrading treatment - Media persecution & violence - 500+ arbitrary arrests - Police brutality w/ water cannons, tear gas, & pepper spray - Threats to public servants' freedom of expression - Attacks by criminal groups The escalation highlights a criminal operation against civil rights. The fight for justice continues. 📄 See the GYLA's report > #GeorgiaProtests #HumanRights #Democracy

The brutal crackdown on peaceful protests in Georgia, including torture, arbitrary arrests, and violence against journalists and human rights defenders, highlights a systemic repression of dissent. The international community must urgently condemn these actions and demand accountability. See the full report here:

Not a single fully acquittal outcome in favor of peaceful demonstrators – most detainees report torture and inhuman treatment, yet to this day, not a single law enforcement officer has been held accountable. The legal aid network of NGOs continues to protect the rights of detainees and victims of the protests. #GeorgiaProtests #HumanRightsInGeorgia #GYLA

Through banning the wearing of masks during the assemblies, the “Georgian Dream” attempts to make people further vulnerable to the very terror it aims to establish, in order to suppress legitimate and peaceful protest.

The government is creating a new repressive tool aimed at further entrenching political control over the public sector. For More: #PublicService #PoliticalCleansing #Repression #NoTerror

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