For Georgia’s Sichinava: ECHR ruling confirms that charges against Gakharia are fabricated

“I welcome the decision of the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights regarding the events of June 20, 2019,” wrote Berdia Sichinava, a member of the Gakharia for Georgia party.

According to him, the ruling confirms that the state had the legitimate right to use special measures to repel attacks on law enforcement officers and attempts to storm state institutions during the dispersal of the assembly on June 20—facts that, as he notes, are now reaffirmed by the Court’s decision.

Sichinava also stresses that claims suggesting the ruling discusses the legal responsibility of Giorgi Gakharia are politically motivated and false.

“As we have been saying for years, there were individual cases where law enforcement officers used excessive force—specifically, the use of kinetic non-lethal weapons (rubber bullets). According to the Court, this was partly the result of improper regulations.

The factual circumstances established in the case materials—including the resolution concerning the charges filed against Giorgi Gakharia by the Prosecutor’s Office—confirm that Gakharia did not issue an order to use non-lethal weapons.

This decision by the Grand Chamber confirms that the charges against Gakharia are fabricated. The defense will present this ruling as evidence in court,” he said.

Sichinava adds that the June 20 case will be properly investigated under independent judicial conditions, and those responsible will not avoid accountability.

“Claims that this decision concerns Giorgi Gakharia’s legal responsibility are a blatant lie,” he concluded.

The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights has announced its decision in the case of Tsaava and Others v. Georgia on December 11. A total of 26 applicants were involved in the case. The Strasbourg Court found that Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights — covering both inhuman or degrading treatment and the lack of an effective investigation — had been violated in respect of 24 applicants. The Court also ruled that Article 10 (freedom of expression) had been violated in the cases of 14 applicants, while Article 11 (freedom of assembly) had been violated in respect of 11 applicants.

For reference, the Georgian Prosecutor’s Office initiated two criminal cases against former Prime Minister and then Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia. One of these cases concerns the events of June 20–21, 2019. Gakharia was ordered held in pre-trial detention in absentia.