The Public Defender of Georgia responds to the fact of the arrest of the participants of the rally held on November 18 near the Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture.

The statement says that the Office of the Public Defender has already started studying the legality of the detention.

"Yesterday, the Public Defender's representative visited 7 detainees, including Varlam Goletiani, placed in the temporary detention centers of Tbilisi and Rustavi.

It is worrisome that journalist Rati Ratiani is among those arrested, who was reportedly engaged in professional activities at the time of his arrest. The Public Defender emphatically notes that it is not allowed to interfere with the journalist's professional activities. Arresting a media representative in the course of his work, in addition to being a hindrance to journalistic activity, may have a negative effect on the coverage of relevant information during gatherings. Therefore, it is important to respond to this fact in a timely manner within the framework of the special investigative body.

It is significant that the object of protest of the participants of the rally is the 49-year license for 104,712 ha of forest in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, which was issued in March 2022. Supervision of the right to environmental protection is one of the priority directions of the Public Defender's activity. It should be noted that the apparatus is monitoring the ongoing legal processes related to the mentioned license and will inform the public about the results of the study of the issue later.

The Public Defender calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia to immediately release Rati Ratiani, and the Special Investigation Service to respond appropriately to the fact of interference in journalistic activities," the statement reads.