People's Power Subari on criticism of excessive force says German police have strict approaches
People's Power Subari on criticism of excessive force says German police have strict approaches

“I may not be familiar with the specific cases, but what we witnessed publicly—the repeated arson of the parliament building, the breaking of windows, and the throwing of incendiary substances—was alarming,” stated Sozar Subari, one of the leaders of the People’s Power, during his appearance on the GPB First Channel program “Current Topic with Maka Tsintsadze.”

“The offices of the chairman of the parliament, the vice-speakers, and regular employees have been set on fire multiple times, which constitutes a crime in any country. Approximately 150 police officers have been injured, many of them seriously,” Subari stated.

When the program host inquired whether a different legal approach could be taken in the case of Amaglobeli, given that the Criminal Code permits certain manoeuvres— as Iago Khvichia discussed—Sozar Subari responded that such decisions are within the court’s purview and that he cannot interfere.”

“No one can claim that it appeared from the outside that no crime was committed. We cannot interfere with the court’s approach, but I must emphasize this: when Western politicians—especially the German ambassador to Georgia, and Mr Roth, who is currently visiting—criticize us for the police’s alleged excessive use of force against civilians, we can see a striking contrast.

In Germany, despite having ten times fewer police officers injured, the police demonstrated a much stricter response. Here, we have 150 injured officers, whereas, in Germany, there were, if I’m not mistaken, only 15 or 20 at most. Moreover, there are significantly more people imprisoned there compared to here. We have approximately 300 to 500 individuals who are already free, while there are about 30 individuals with credible evidence of having committed specific criminal offences.

I can assert my belief that the standard of proof in Georgia is exceedingly high. If there is no robust evidence against an accused person—especially in political cases—it is nearly impossible to secure a conviction. Such a high standard of proof is not found in any European country, nor in the USA, Canada, or even in Greenland, which has recently garnered attention. Here, practically no one is arrested unless there is overwhelming, verified evidence proving that the individual committed a specific crime.

I am prepared to engage in a debate with anyone and demonstrate that this is the case. Therefore, if someone’s evidence is not substantial, or if doubts arise, they will undoubtedly be released in court, and no one will punish them,” Subari stated.

Sozar Subari also stated that it is misguided to suggest that the Georgian government or opposition should rely on external forces.

“Our goal is for our country to maintain sovereignty and for decisions to be made within Georgia. We have been progressing toward this objective step by step. Regarding Trump, people often ask why we should have hope in him, and I have consistently stated—and will reiterate today—that the American people elected Trump as their president to protect their national interests.
These interests may align with ours in many ways, and where they do, that is certainly beneficial.

For instance, I hope the pressure on Georgia concerning the war in Ukraine will ease, particularly regarding expectations for our involvement; this would be a positive development. While pressure from Europe may persist, I believe that American pressure to repeal the law protecting family values will decrease, which is also a positive outcome that we fully support.

We agree entirely that transparency is essential, and our views on the activities of USAID, NED, and the Soros Foundation in Georgia and around the world are aligned. I am confident that funding for those questionable and genuinely anti-state projects will either cease or be significantly reduced, and this, too, is favourable. However, there may be areas where our positions diverge,” said Sozar Subari.