Address of Human Rights Center about the Incidents in Gori and Didinedzi

Human Rights Center is concerned with the increasing frequency of aggressive incidents during the pre-election campaign and calls on the government to promptly investigate the facts, take effective steps to prevent similar incidents in future. 

On October 1, in the village Didinedzi in Zugdidi Municipality, several representatives of the Youth Wing of the Georgian Dream were beaten. The representatives of the UNM and GM confronted each other. The incident took place when the representatives of the Georgian Dream tried to disseminate the election materials. Three representatives of the Georgian Dream were injured. 

On October 2, fire was opened against Irakli Okruashvili, the single mandate candidate in Gori, while he was meeting the local population. The MIA started the investigation based on the articles 117 and 236 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which imply premeditated grave injury of health and illegal purchase/possession of the firearm. 

Human Rights Center believes similar incidents are real threat to free and fair pre-election environment. The physical confrontations make the tension between the political parties more obvious and create stressful election environment for the voters. 

The state is obliged to fairly investigate every incident, punish responsible people and ensure free pre-election environment. Therefore, the state’s reaction shall be adequate to every violent incident. 

Human Rights Center believes the government shall take all legal steps to adequately respond to the violations and guarantee peaceful and secure election environment for the upcoming Parliamentary Elections. 

We call on the Chief Prosecutor’s Office to ensure prompt and impartial investigation into the abovementioned violent facts. 

We call on the political parties and their representatives to avoid illegal activities, physical confrontation and violence. 

Human Rights Center