“I gave the order to use tear gas and water cannons; neither I nor my deputies authorized the use of special means,” former Minister of Internal Affairs and Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia asserted during a session of the Investigative Commission Studying the Activities of the Regime and Political Officials of the Regime in 2003-2012.”

Gakharia emphasized that if he had been aware of any directive regarding special measures, he would have disclosed it during questioning.

“I have issued the directive concerning tear gas and water cannons under the relevant plan and the Law on Police. However, in other instances, neither I nor my deputies gave such orders. My interrogation protocol reflects this precisely,” he stated.

When Commission Chair Tea Tsulukiani asked about the use of rubber bullets: “Is it known who gave the order to use rubber bullets, or was it an arbitrary action?” Gakharia responded, “I am reiterating that neither I nor my deputies issued that order. Had I known of such an order or if someone had given it, I would have informed the investigation.”

On the sequencing of measures used, Gakharia clarified: “The actions were taken following the Law on Police: tear gas was deployed first, followed by water cannons.

As I recall, rubber bullets were used in between. Their use was intended solely for self-defence. If there were any violations, investigations should have been conducted. It has been six years; if there was evidence, it could have been examined.”

Gakharia continued, “Upon learning about the deployment of rubber bullets, I immediately ordered that their use be minimized. I instructed my deputies to strictly ensure compliance with the Police Law, allowing for action only when police or citizens’ lives were directly threatened. I passed the order to ban rubber bullets to my deputies,” Giorgi Gakharia stated.