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GYLA Does not Agree with the Densus Survey

August 15, 2013
 
Tamta Tvalavadze

Based on the order of the US State Department Company Densus prepared a conclusion about the events of May 26, 2011. According to the survey results, police used proportionate force when dispersing protest demonstration on May 26; demonstrators were armed with shields and truncheons. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, which also published survey conclusion with regard to the events of May 26, does not agree with the Densus’ conclusion in several aspects.

The conclusion prepared by the Densus reads: “Before operation started, police offered demonstrators to move the demonstration to another place; the operation started when one group of police officers cut ropes and dismantled barriers in the southern part of the parliament building in order to give way to demonstrators. Afterwards, main forces of the police started movement from the north. 200 out of 1000 demonstrators opposed them. They were armed with shields and truncheons. Reportedly, several people among demonstrators illegally possessed firearms and Molotov cocktails. The demonstration management operation plan was perfect. There is clear evidence that a very small group of law enforcement officers used excessive power. Though we should admit that majority of law enforcement officers acted in accordance to disciplines, followed instructions and used proportionate and necessary force to achieve the goal of the operation. This allegation is proved by clear evidence,” the conclusion reads.

Chief Prosecutor’s Office handed the conclusion to the lawyers of the former prime-minister Vano Merabishvili, based on which they request to change preventive measure against Merabishvili.

GYLA also prepared a conclusion about May 26 events which differs from the conclusion of the Densus in some aspects. One of the authors of the survey from GYLA Giorgi Gotsiridze said: “The most important finding in our conclusion is that demonstrators did not have chance to run away. Stories of witnesses – including journalists and neutral observers – showed that roads in the Rustaveli Avenue were locked and police besieged the demonstrators.  Also, we could not obtain evidence which could prove that demonstrators used force. As a result of interviews of different group members, demonstrators not only did not use so called Molotov cocktails, they had not even prepared them,” Gotsiridze said.

US Ambassador to Georgia Richard Norland commented on the conclusion of the Company Densus and said that the purpose of the survey was to impartially evaluate the events of May 26.

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