The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, has called on the Georgian authorities to repeal or substantially revise a number of legislative changes that he says restrict freedom of assembly, association and expression, while also urging progress in investigations into alleged police violence against protesters.
In a newly published memorandum, O’Flaherty said that recommendations outlined in his March 2025 report remain valid and require urgent implementation. He reiterated the need for effective investigations into allegations of ill-treatment and excessive use of force by law enforcement officers, accountability for perpetrators, and comprehensive reparations for victims.
The Commissioner called on the authorities to ensure the prompt adoption and implementation of legislation requiring all law enforcement personnel to wear visible identification numbers. He also urged the Prosecutor’s Office to conduct thorough, prompt and genuinely independent investigations into violence against protesters and journalists, including examining potential command responsibility.
Based on the memorandum, investigations should be expanded to cover all credible allegations of ill-treatment during protests held in March 2023, March–May 2024 and from November 2024 to early 2025. O’Flaherty also recommended a transparent and independent inquiry into the use of water cannons allegedly containing chemical substances against demonstrators, in line with United Nations standards on less-lethal weapons.
The Commissioner further called on Georgia to implement judgments of the European Court of Human Rights concerning violations of the right to peaceful assembly and cases involving ill-treatment by law enforcement officers.
Addressing recent legislative changes, O’Flaherty urged the government to review, repeal or substantially amend amendments adopted in October and December 2025 to the Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations, the Administrative Offences Code and the Criminal Code. According to the memorandum, the legislation should be brought into compliance with Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights and other international standards.
Among other recommendations, the Commissioner called for the protection of spontaneous assemblies, the removal of blanket restrictions on peaceful protests, and the repeal of provisions introducing what he described as disproportionate administrative detention and criminal liability for repeated protest-related offences.
The memorandum also calls on the authorities to cease inquiries launched against civil society organizations under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (GEOFARA) and the Law on Grants, as well as to terminate criminal investigations against non-governmental organizations accused of involvement in aggravated sabotage, or at least immediately restore access to their bank accounts.
O’Flaherty further recommended rescinding GEOFARA, amendments to the Law on Grants and the Law on Broadcasting adopted since 2024, as well as related changes to the Administrative Offences Code and the Criminal Code.
The Commissioner additionally urged Georgia to repeal or thoroughly revise amendments affecting freedom of association and freedom of expression, including changes to the Law on Freedom of Speech and Expression and the Organic Law on Political Associations of Citizens, in accordance with Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights.
The memorandum concludes by calling on the Georgian authorities to refrain from measures that arbitrarily restrict democratic freedoms, political pluralism and participation in public life.
