News

Dec 20, 2024
Statement of the Special Investigation Service on the progress of the investigation into the rallies taking place in November and December 2024
The Special Investigation Service
is actively investigating the facts of exceeding official powers using violence
and unlawful interference with the journalist’s professional activities
committed against participants of the rally in November and December 2024 in
Tbilisi, stipulated under Article 333 (3b) and Article 154 (2) of the Criminal
Code of Georgia.
In November and December 2024,
from various sources, the Service received reports of violations of the rights
of individuals as well as journalists by law enforcement officers.
The Special Investigation Service
ensured prompt response to each report received. Since the day of launching the
investigation, 291 people have been interviewed, including 38 journalists.
A forensic medical examination
has been appointed for 164 people injured at the rally at the LEPL Levan
Samkharauli National Forensic Bureau.
The Service has obtained
recordings made available by the media and the public internet space and is
currently examining footage from surveillance cameras placed at the protest
area and on surrounding streets. At this point, the recordings have a cumulative
duration of more than 1,100 hours.
To collect relevant evidence, the
clothing of 36 people was removed and biological and forensic examinations were
appointed based on a court ruling.
The materials of administrative
proceedings of the persons detained at the rally are being studied and
retrieved from Temporary Detention Centers and the Tbilisi City Court.
The Special Investigation Service
is conducting interviews with law enforcement officers involved in the
implementation of police measures and the detention of injured citizens.
The investigation is carrying out
all necessary investigative activities to establish the factual circumstances
and identify individual law enforcement officers.
Based on relevant evidence and by
the decision of the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia, the victim status was
granted to all citizens who applied to the prosecution for recognition as
victims.
To defend the rights of those
citizens injured during the rally, the Special Investigation Service uses every
legal tool at its disposal. For this purpose, each of them undergoes a medical
examination, medical documents are requested from clinics to document their
injuries, the investigation examines all the circumstances noted by them during
the interview, and each person and their human rights defenders are allowed to
access and familiarize themselves with the criminal case materials, and they
are kept as updated as possible on the progress of the investigation.
The Special Investigation
Service, with the resources available to the agency, makes maximum efforts to
achieve a legal outcome for each criminal act and actively continues to carry
out investigative activities.
The Service will periodically
provide the public with information about the progress and results of the
investigation.