Amnesty International Director: 'I don't recall any parliament, other than Georgia's, passing repressive laws so quickly'
Amnesty International director on Georgia law
Denis Krivosheev, Regional Director of the international human rights NGO Amnesty International, stated that he does not recall any parliament passing repressive laws “on such a scale, so quickly, and in such a short period of time” as Georgia’s one-party Georgian Dream parliament. He made this statement in an interview with Voice of America.
According to Krivosheev, authorities that resort to violence against peaceful protesters must be held accountable for their actions.
What did Denis Krivosheev say?
“We have been working in this region for a long time and have seen many parliaments pass draconian laws, but I don’t think I have ever seen a parliament do so on such a scale, so quickly, and in such a short period of time.
The Georgian government treats fundamental human rights as something it can dispose of at its own discretion—deciding when people can exercise their rights and when they cannot.
They are restricting the right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression. We have witnessed attacks on the media, civil society, and anyone who resists Georgian Dream’s control.
Right now, we are seeing an increase in fines for violating restrictions that are, in themselves, selective and contradict Georgia’s international obligations. The government is expanding both the scope and application of these draconian laws.
People have the right to take to the streets. But the Georgian government and police view this differently. They distinguish between ‘authorized’ and ‘unauthorized’ protests. And when they decide they dislike a particular gathering, they simply label it as ‘illegal.’ Detaining people under such circumstances is selective enforcement. This is against the law and human rights, yet the police continue to do it—with brutality.
Those who carry out these actions, as well as those who give the orders, must be held accountable. Right now, that is not happening. The scale and level of violence are deeply concerning.”
On March 3, the Venice Commission published a critical assessment of new amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses and the Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations, introduced by Georgia’s one-party parliament.
According to the Commission, the bills were passed hastily and without input from relevant stakeholders, undermining their legitimacy—especially amid mass protests.
Amnesty International director on Georgia law
