Yesterday, on July 12, visit of the Georgian Dream leaders to the IDP settlement in Karaleti, city of Gori was followed by a clash. During the incident journalists were also injured.

According to the editor of Internet publication qartli.ge, Saba Tsitsikashvili, he was covering the meeting in Karaleti IDP settlement when Gigi and Gogita Gochashvilis of the city of Gori as well as one of the employees of Kurta Community Gamgeoba, Levan Maisuradze, physically assaulted him.

A group of citizens expressed clear aggression against activist that had arrived for election campaigning. Video footage released by Info 9 agency illustrates facts of physical and verbal abuse of activists and journalists. Certain individuals threw rocks at representatives of media and assembly participants, resulting in bodily injuries sustained by several individuals. The Public Defender has reported that following representatives of Info 9 agency have been injured: Tamta Iluridze, Eka Iluridze, Shorena Khabalashvili, Rezo Nadiradze and Lekso Aleksidze, as well as the following journalists of Channel 9: Nukri Beglarishvili and Nodar Skhirtladze, Trialeti TV representatives Nino Bolashvili and Mamuka Kevkhishvili and journalist of Shida Kartli Information Center Saba Tsitsikashvili. Regrettably, police did not appear on the scene. One person dressed in civilian clothes was trying to prevent a clash between the two sides.

Following the incidents of Mereti and Dirbi, this another case where the police has failed to fulfill its positive responsibility - protect participants of a peaceful assembly from counter-demonstrators. In light of failure of police to effectively intervene in violence perpetrated against assembly participants, possibility to realize the right to peaceful assembly guaranteed by Article 11 of the ECHR is called in question.

GYLA condemns the incident in Karaleti and is alarmed by participation of civil servants in acts of violence.

Involvement of an employee of Kurta Community Gamgeoba Levan Maisuradze in physical and verbal abuse of citizens possibly contains signs of petty hooliganism; there are also signs of criminal offense in individual cases.

GYLA calls on the Ministry of Interior Affairs to adequately respond to the developments and protect public order at peaceful assemblies in the future by intervening in a timely manner. We also call on all individuals, including political parties, to use every opportunity available for preventing possible acts of violence and violent expression of opinions.