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Reacting to the news that police in Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital, have violently dismantled a protesters’ tent camp, Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said:

“The Georgian authorities must fully comply with their obligations to respect and protect the right to freedom of assembly. People have a right to peacefully protest without fear of violence, intimidation, or unlawful arrests. This heavy-handed police response undermines these principles and underscores the current government’s approach to fundamental human rights. All peaceful protesters who remain in detention must be immediately released.”

On Tuesday morning, police in Tbilisi dismantled a tent camp installed by protesters near Tbilisi State University campus. Demonstrators had been protesting for two days against the disputed results of recent parliamentary elections.

The dismantling began with an ultimatum from law enforcement officers demanding the protesters remove the tents within 15 minutes. When the demand was not met, police deployed special units and water cannons to clear the site. Media reported that at least 12 protesters were detained during the operation, with several being injured.

The protest followed the Central Election Commission’s announcement on 16 November of official election results, which the opposition contests.