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GYLA: It is still unknown what chemical substances the Ministry of Internal Affairs used against the demonstrators - it is alarming that Georgian Dream resorted to illegal and dangerous methods, but no individual has been held accountable

GYLA: It is still unknown what chemical substances the Ministry of Internal Affairs used against the demonstrators - it is alarming that Georgian Dream resorted to illegal and dangerous methods, but no individual has been held accountable
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According to the Georgian Young Lawyers Association, starting on November 28, 2024, for several nights, the Georgian Dream party actively used chemical substances, including tear gas and chemical irritants mixed with water cannons, to disperse peaceful demonstrations.

As GYLA explains, it is still unknown what chemical substances the Ministry of Internal Affairs used against the demonstrators.

In addition, according to the NGO, they requested public information from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, but they did not receive a response from the agency. In addition, according to them, the Ministry of Health does not have information about the chemical means used within the framework of the police measures taken.

“Chemical irritants caused significant health damage to some of the victims. In some cases, the victims required intensive treatment over the following months, and the health condition caused by exposure to chemical agents during this time significantly affected their daily living standards and ability to perform professional activities. Information about health problems caused by exposure to chemical agents is still actively being spread on social networks.

Participants in the protest, who have also experienced exposure to chemical irritants during the dispersal of protests in the past, note that the tear gas used in November-December 2024 caused significantly higher intensity of pain and symptoms than during the spring 2024 protests.

It is still unknown what chemical substances the Ministry of Internal Affairs used against the demonstrators. In order to request public information, we addressed a question about this to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia on January 28, 2025, but we did not receive a response. The composition of the chemicals used is unknown, including for the medical personnel who were supposed to provide medical assistance to the victims. GYLA also addressed this question to the Ministry of Health, which responded on February 19 that the ministry does not have information about the chemicals used in the police operations. According to the Ministry of Health’s response, the information was not requested from the Ministry of Internal Affairs due to the lack of need,” GYLA said.

According to GYLA, mixing chemical irritants in water jets is a problematic and dangerous practice that causes severe physical pain and poses a serious risk of harm to health.

“It is clear that the use of chemical irritants was illegal and, in some cases, amounted to ill-treatment. Yet, no individual has been held accountable for this. It is particularly alarming that the Georgian Dream government has resorted to such illegal and dangerous methods to suppress peaceful protests. This once again highlights the systematic, organized and criminal nature of the actions against the freedoms of assembly and expression,” GYLA said.

ცალსახაა, რომ ქიმიური გამაღიზიანებლების გამოყენება უკანონოდ ხდებოდა და, რიგ შემთხვევებში, უტოლდებოდა არასათანადო მოპყრობას. მიუხედავად ამისა, აღნიშნულთან დაკავშირებით არ დამდგარა, არც ერთი პირის პასუხისმგებლობის საკითხი. განსაკუთრებით საგანგაშოა, რომ „ქართული ოცნების” ხელისუფლება მშვიდობიანი პროტესტის ჩასახშობად მსგავს უკანონო და საფრთხის შემცველ მეთოდებს მიმართავდა. ეს კიდევ ერთხელ ხაზს უსვამს შეკრებისა და გამოხატვის თავისუფლებების წინააღმდეგ მიმართული ქმედებების სისტემურ, ორგანიზებულ და დანაშაულებრივ ბუნებას“, - აცხადებენ საია-ში.

GYLA: It is still unknown what chemical substances the Ministry of Internal Affairs used against the demonstrators - it is alarming that Georgian Dream resorted to illegal and dangerous methods, but no individual has been held accountable

According to the Georgian Young Lawyers Association, starting on November 28, 2024, for several nights, the Georgian Dream party actively used chemical substances, including tear gas and chemical irritants mixed with water cannons, to disperse peaceful demonstrations.

As GYLA explains, it is still unknown what chemical substances the Ministry of Internal Affairs used against the demonstrators.

In addition, according to the NGO, they requested public information from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, but they did not receive a response from the agency. In addition, according to them, the Ministry of Health does not have information about the chemical means used within the framework of the police measures taken.

“Chemical irritants caused significant health damage to some of the victims. In some cases, the victims required intensive treatment over the following months, and the health condition caused by exposure to chemical agents during this time significantly affected their daily living standards and ability to perform professional activities. Information about health problems caused by exposure to chemical agents is still actively being spread on social networks.

Participants in the protest, who have also experienced exposure to chemical irritants during the dispersal of protests in the past, note that the tear gas used in November-December 2024 caused significantly higher intensity of pain and symptoms than during the spring 2024 protests.

It is still unknown what chemical substances the Ministry of Internal Affairs used against the demonstrators. In order to request public information, we addressed a question about this to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia on January 28, 2025, but we did not receive a response. The composition of the chemicals used is unknown, including for the medical personnel who were supposed to provide medical assistance to the victims. GYLA also addressed this question to the Ministry of Health, which responded on February 19 that the ministry does not have information about the chemicals used in the police operations. According to the Ministry of Health’s response, the information was not requested from the Ministry of Internal Affairs due to the lack of need,” GYLA said.

According to GYLA, mixing chemical irritants in water jets is a problematic and dangerous practice that causes severe physical pain and poses a serious risk of harm to health.

“It is clear that the use of chemical irritants was illegal and, in some cases, amounted to ill-treatment. Yet, no individual has been held accountable for this. It is particularly alarming that the Georgian Dream government has resorted to such illegal and dangerous methods to suppress peaceful protests. This once again highlights the systematic, organized and criminal nature of the actions against the freedoms of assembly and expression,” GYLA said.

ცალსახაა, რომ ქიმიური გამაღიზიანებლების გამოყენება უკანონოდ ხდებოდა და, რიგ შემთხვევებში, უტოლდებოდა არასათანადო მოპყრობას. მიუხედავად ამისა, აღნიშნულთან დაკავშირებით არ დამდგარა, არც ერთი პირის პასუხისმგებლობის საკითხი. განსაკუთრებით საგანგაშოა, რომ „ქართული ოცნების” ხელისუფლება მშვიდობიანი პროტესტის ჩასახშობად მსგავს უკანონო და საფრთხის შემცველ მეთოდებს მიმართავდა. ეს კიდევ ერთხელ ხაზს უსვამს შეკრებისა და გამოხატვის თავისუფლებების წინააღმდეგ მიმართული ქმედებების სისტემურ, ორგანიზებულ და დანაშაულებრივ ბუნებას“, - აცხადებენ საია-ში.

Michał Kobosko - we hope that your government eventually would either choose the European way, the democratic way or would resign seeing the number, the size and scale of the citizens' protests