The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia (MIA) reported the detention of six individuals during the rallies held on Rustaveli Avenue and the vicinity of the Parliament building over the assaults against police officers and damage to state property.

The director of the Tbilisi Police Department, Sulkhan Tamazashvili, briefed the media on the findings.

“We would like to provide the public with information on illegal actions that took place during manifestations held on Rustaveli Avenue and in the vicinity of the Parliament building, following which the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in cooperation with the Prosecutor’s Office, conducted an investigation, having arrested six people for assaulting a police officer and damaging property.

The citizens of Georgia could have watched live broadcasts of various TV channels, witnessing political leaders, manifestation organizers, and participants having exceeded the norms established by the law on assemblies and demonstrations on several occasions during the ongoing protests.

At different times, participants of the rally attempted to break into the parliament building, threw various objects, as well as tear gas of unknown origin, and attacked police officers on the spot.

Furthermore, participants of the rally threw various heavy objects, including bottles, stones, asphyxiant and tear gas and metal pieces, in the courtyard of the Special State Protection Service building, where police employees and vehicles were deployed.

The public could have observed how the protesters damaged the video surveillance cameras on the administrative building and various objects belonging to the Tbilisi City Hall.

As a result of the violent attacks carried out by the demonstrators, seven employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were injured. One of them underwent surgery and is still undergoing treatment.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs immediately launched a probe into the incidents and arrested six people on May 8-9, 2024.

In particular, the investigation established that one of the detainees threw a blunt object at the law enforcement officers during a rally on April 16, as a result of which the Special Tasks Department employee was injured in the eye area.

On April 16, one of the detainees damaged a vehicle belonging to the Patrol Police Department.

During the ongoing manifestation on May 1-2, two of the detainees damaged the video surveillance cameras of the Public Safety Command Center 112 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

On May 1, one of the detainees damaged the parliament gates and threw a stone at a law enforcer deployed in the parliament courtyard, as a result of which a firefighter of the Emergency Situations Management Service was injured.

Herewith, during the ongoing protest on May 1, one of the persons damaged the external surveillance camera installed on the Special State Protection Service building.

The investigation has been launched into these facts under Article 353 (I) and Article 187 of the Criminal Code of Georgia.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs continues its investigation to identify and arrest those who committed illegal actions during the current manifestations.

We would also like to inform the public of the ongoing investigation at the Central Criminal Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

In connection with the violent actions carried out by citizens during protests from April 15, 2024, up to date, related to the parliamentary session and reading of the draft law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, the Central Criminal Police Department on May 8, 2024, launched a probe under three articles of the Criminal Code of Georgia, in particular:

The investigation was launched under Article 222 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, referring to the seizure or blocking of strategic or special importance entities.

Herewith, an investigation was also launched under Article 225 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, referring to the organization, leadership or participation in violence committed in a group, and also under Article 226, which refers to the organization of a group action that grossly violates public order or is related to disobedience to the legal request of a government representative, disrupting the operation of transport, institution or organization.

The Interior Ministry is probing into all instances having signs of a criminal offence, including the study of all appeals, public speeches and callings, as well as video footage.

Within the frames of the ongoing investigation, the prosecutors will interrogate protest organizers, political leaders and those who may be related to the outlined criminal cases.

The protests are ongoing, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs once again calls on the demonstrators to observe public order, not to exceed the norms defined by the law on assembly and demonstration, and refrain from violent actions,” Sulkhan Tamazashvili concluded.