The South Caucasus Network of HRD condemns the illegal arrest of peace protestors in Tbilisi

Members of the South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders condemn the arrest of the participants of a peaceful flash mob action held on 14th of August on George W. Bush street in Tbilisi. The action was organized by young poets, Irakli Kakabadze, Shota Gagarin and Alex Chigviladze. Participants demanded renaming the street after the name of the famous American poet and humanists Walt Whitman and read poems by Whitman during the action.

Arrested poets were held in police cars for two and a half hours where they were subjected to verbal and physical abuse before being transferred to the nearby MIA building on a Kakheti freeway.

The trail was held on 15^th as the court had a day off on the 14^th and the detainees spent one night in the detention cell. The court hearing was held behind closed doors with no access for media or even family members. Poets were charged of violation of article 173 of the General Administrative Code of Georgia, implying “willful disobedience to police”. However, the video material and the witness statements were confirming that all participants peacefully followed the demands of the policemen. According to the attorney of the defendants, Anna Tsiklauri, the judge refused to view the above mentioned video footage and accept it as evidence. The court fined all three arrested poets with $250, one tenth of annual median income in Georgia.

Article 11 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms states that everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association with others. Unfortunately the illegal arrest of peaceful protesters, their verbal and physical abuse and the subsequent fining confirm the grave condition of rule of law and freedom of expression in Georgia.

Members of the South Caucasus Network of Human Rights Defenders condemn the illegal detention and trail of peaceful protesters and call upon the Georgian authorities to:

· Carry out prompt, effective and impartial investigation of the above mentioned incident;

· Identify and bring perpetrators to justice;

· Prevent similar illegal conducts of police authorities and officers in future.

· Respect the right of freedom of assembly and expression according to International Standards.

The undersigning organizations:

Article 42 of the Constitution – Georgia

Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights – Georgia

Human Rights Centre – Georgia

Legal Education Society – Azerbaijan

Public Movement Multinational Georgia – Georgia

The South Caucasus Network of HRD condemns the illegal arrest of peace protestors in Tbilisi

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