Briefing of Ms. Nino Tsatsiashvili, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs
As the society has witnessed, the police ensured the appropriate conditions for the conduction of assemblies and manifestations by the citizens, during the rally, as well as throughout the whole night period.
A peaceful rally, which started on Rustaveli Avenue in front of the Parliament building, later transformed into an unlawful act. Namely, the representatives of the political parties and the organizers of the rally blocked all of the entrances of the legislative body. At the same time, political leaders called on the participants of the rally to hinder the due activity of the Parliament.
Irrespective of the fact that the Ministry of Internal Affairs addressed and warned them many times, exercising of the freedom of expression and assembly goes beyond the limits prescribed by the law.
All of us saw the videos which show an apparent violation of the requirements of Article 9 of the Law of Georgia on “Assemblies and Manifestations”, prescribing the prohibition of blocking of the entrances of the legislative body and of hindering its due activity.
Besides, the videos are being disseminated since morning, where it is apparent that the organizers and participants of the rally did not give the possibility to the members of Parliament to enter the legislative body, thus, hindering the due activity of the Parliament.
The police is there to protect right to peaceful assembly as well as to ensure the unhindered functioning of the highest legislative body of Georgia. Accordingly, the Ministry on Internal Affairs calls on the leaders of the political parties gathered on Rustaveli Avenue as well as organizers of the manifestation to stop the blockage of the entrances of the Parliament premises, to uphold the Constitution and not to exceed the frames of the peaceful manifestation prescribed by the law.
Once again, we address the organizers and the participants of the manifestation to follow the lawful instructions of the police. In case of continuation of the blockage of the administrative body, the police will react accordingly, within the mandate provided by the law.
