"On December 10, 2024, 76 years passed since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This day has a special historical value and dates back to December 10, 1948, when the United Nations General Assembly approved the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Even 76 years after the adoption of this important international act, Georgia faces the challenge of ensuring that fundamental human rights and freedoms are equally protected and accessible to each individual, considering the principles of equality.

Traditionally, the Public Defender, in a statement specially dedicated to this day, emphasizes all the main challenges that exist in the country in terms of protecting human rights and freedoms. However, this year, instead of assessing various issues, I decided to focus on and respond to the important, main and the most acute issue.

Since November 28, the Public Defender’s Office has been actively monitoring the protests ongoing in Tbilisi and the regions of Georgia, and we have been constantly assessing the situation of human rights in the country.

As I have already noted in a number of my assessments, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are fundamental human rights that must be protected. However, we all see that the main challenge in terms of protecting the right to assembly that has emerged during these protests is that instead of taking individual and proportionate measures in response to the violation of the law by a small group of participants, the State, and in this case the Ministry of Internal Affairs, is making decisions to crack down on the entire assembly. The Public Defender once again calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to make special efforts in such cases and to respond to the unlawful actions of individuals by implementing individual, proportionate responses.

The next issue, which I have repeatedly assessed, concerns the ill-treatment of individuals during the crackdown, which requires timely and objective investigation, so that the impunity syndrome does not incite violations of the law and does not lead to even more serious consequences.

My representatives and I personally visited 327 people detained and injured after November 28:

From November 28 to December 10, we have visited 327 people detained and injured during the protests.

Of these, 225 people indicate ill-treatment.

157 people have visible injuries.

Once again, I call on the Special Investigation Service to conduct prompt and effective investigative actions.

The public is also aware that December 9 is the Human Rights Defenders Day. Journalists are also human rights defenders, and this year I would like to focus on them. Unfortunately, during the recent period, many journalists and media representatives have been injured, several of them are still in medical institutions, their work has been hindered, and their physical safety and life have been threatened. It must be said once again that each of these cases must be investigated, the relevant persons must be held accountable, and the State must ensure the creation of a safe environment for journalists to work. On my part, I would like to thank each of you, journalists and cameramen, for your work.

Finally, the State and relevant institutions are responsible for the protection of human rights and the safety of each person; It is unacceptable for unknown groups to physically assault people on the streets or create such groups under the pretext of protecting public order or citizens. The State is obliged to respond to this and to prevent physical or other confrontations between the individuals and violations of human rights.