The Night of April 9 Was Not Calm At All

Irakli Managadze

During the night of April 9 activists of the Movement “April 9” and Movement “Why” were attacked. Leaders of the movement reported to the Human Rights Center that the attack happened at 11:00 pm in Tbilisi. Iraklil Khukhuneishvili, Lasha Kopaliani and Otar Chelidze were beaten.

The people mentioned above, together with some other activists, were going home after the demonstration in Rustaveli Avenue. Three unnumbered jeeps blocked the road for their car. Masked people got out of the jeeps and physically assaulted the activists. The harassers warned the young people against joining the demonstration in the future. The masked people threatened them with physical assault unless they obeyed their order.

Irakli Kordzaia, one of the leaders of the Movement “April 9”, reported to the Human Rights Center that the attackers were members of the riot police. “We were driving along Baratashvili Bridge when patrol police stopped our activists. Three black jeeps blocked our way and the first thing we noticed was that the jeeps did not have state numbers. They were chasing us and then stopped us. Without any explanations the harassers dragged us out of the car and started to beat us with truncheons.”

Dachi Tsaguria, a leader of the movement “Why” reported to the Human Rights Center that the jeeps were Toyota Land Cruisers and a BMW X-5.

Tsaguri said: “People noticed these cars in 3 or 4 places in the city yesterday. Those masked people attacked elderly people close to the Cathedral Sameba and insulted them. I call on Merabishvili to stop provocations and persecution of people. Unless he stops death brigades, he will be punished severely by the Georgian people.,”

Irakli Khukhuneishvili has a brain concussion as a result of the physical assault by the masked people. Doctors examined him in St. Mikhail Hospital. Lasha Kopaliani said to the Human Rights Center that he has injuries on his hand. Kopaliani said: “When we saw the jeeps we intended to go back. We thought if we joined the demonstration again, they would not dare to attack us. Before we reached the Rustaveli Avenue they blocked our way, forced us out of the car and started beating us with truncheons. They ordered us to go home and stop waving flags. I have my hand injured and have a headache.”

The victims reported to the Public Defender’s Office regarding the incident. The Public Defender’s office is investigating the facts and the Ombudsman is deeply concerned regarding the incident. A representative of the public defender said: “The current situation resembles the incidents during October-November demonstrations in 2007. The Public Defender highlighted all similar violations in his reports.”

The Public Defender of Georgia calls upon the Ministry of Internal Affairs to react on the incident immediately.

The Human Rights Center assesses the physical assault of activists as suppression of freedom of expression. The Human Rights Center is concerned about the incident and calls upon international organizations and diplomatic corps to react on it. The Human Rights Center condemns violation of fundamental rights recognized by all international declarations and normative acts.