ECHR starts hearings in cases of Georgian journalists, protesters injured during June 20 rally dispersal
The rally, which united opposition politicians and ordinary citizens in condemning the Russian delegation’s visit to Georgia earlier on June 20, 2019 turned into a violent clash between the protesters and police in front of the parliament of Georgia. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge archive
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The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has launched hearings in cases concerning the excessive use of force by the state and the failure to conduct an effective investigation into the actions taken against journalists and protesters during the dispersal of a rally in June 20-21, 2019.
The Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) and the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC) sent two applications to the ECHR on April 7, 2021, on behalf of 22 individuals (10 protesters, 11 journalists and 1 passerby) injured during the dispersal.
The applicants claim that during the dispersal of the rally, the state has violated a number of articles of the European Convention on Human Rights, including:
- Article 3 - prohibition of torture
- Article 10 - freedom of expression (only in the case of media representatives)
- Article 11 freedom of assembly and association (only in the case of demonstrators)
- Article 13 - right to an effective remedy
GYLA has reported earlier today that the ECHR has addressed the government of Georgia with the relevant questions about all of the alleged violations.
Late at night on June 20-21, a rally triggered by the presence of Russian MPs in the Georgian parliament was dispersed with tear gas and rubber bullets when demonstrators tried to break a police cordon and enter the parliament building back. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
The state has to respond by September 3 whether the rights of the protesters and journalists were violated or not. It should also submit the materials of the criminal case filed by the Georgian Prosecutor's Office about the rally dispersal, which has been unavailable to GYLA so far.
240 individuals, including 32 journalists and 80 law enforcers, were injured during a clash on Rustaveli Avenue on June 20 which was sparked by the presence of Russian MPs in the Georgian parliament.
As of now only three out of 22 individuals under GYLA’s protection are granted the status of victims, ‘even though the harm inflicted to these individuals resulting from the crime is confirmed based on video materials, medical documents, testimonies of witnesses available to the investigating authorities, GYLA says.