“The Georgian government appears determined to silence peaceful protesters through intimidation and punishment,” reads the statement of the Amnesty International.

Denis Krivosheev, Regional Director for East Europe and Central Asia said that “while states may impose certain restrictions on protests to maintain public order, the new amendments to the Georgian Law on Public Assembly and Manifestation go far beyond what is permissible.”

According to the statement, the police detained tens of demonstrators after the new restrictions were implemented. “These arrests highlight the acute trends of repression in Georgia,” Krivosheev said.

The statement reads that peaceful assemblies may temporary obstruct movement and cause discomfort, but this does not justify dispersal or detention, which should be the extreme measure during non-violent protests.

The Amnesty International urges the Georgian authorities to release all those detained solely for exercising their rights to expression and peaceful assembly.