26/05/2011 Monitoring
Strasbourg, 26.05.2011 - The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) co-rapporteurs for Georgia, Kastriot Islami (Albania, SOC) and Michael Aastrup Jensen (Denmark, ALDE) expressed their concern about reports of disproportionate and excessive use of force by the police during the breakup of the protest in central Tbilisi last night.
The rapporteurs do not put into question the apparent legitimate basis for the authorities’ decision to disperse the protesters, given the fact that the Independence Day celebrations were planned on Rustavelli Avenue and that the protesters reportedly refused to relocate to an alternative location offered by the municipal authorities. However, they expressed their concern about numerous reports that the police used disproportionate and excessive force to break up the protests.
“We are concerned about the reports of excessive and disproportionate use of force by the police. The authorities should fully, credibly and transparently investigate these reports and present their findings to the public within a reasonable timeframe. In the meanwhile we call upon all sides to remain calm and not to further escalate the tense situation,” said the two co-rapporteurs.