“Instead of calling on these protesters, or people with opposing views, to obey the law; instead of coming to Georgia as observers; they are calling on the state not to take any measures against those who recently attacked the Presidential Palace using so-called ‘masculine force.’ When you know very well that elections in Georgia were held fairly, it means that the pressure and bullying carried out against OSCE/ODIHR by the ‘deep state’ was effective,” – this is how the First Vice-Speaker of Parliament, Gia Volski, assessed the OSCE/ODIHR conclusion regarding amendments to the Administrative Offenses Code and the Criminal Code of Georgia.

According to Gia Volski, the ruling party’s response to this conclusion consists of two parts, including the opinion that this is a “politically unjust statement.”

“Our response has two components: first, the positive decision by OSCE/ODIHR on the elections was trampled on — I will say even more — they ripped it up in front of the observers and personnel who acknowledged and documented that elections in Georgia were held correctly, properly, according to the standards of democratic states.

Second — OSCE/ODIHR, having been put in this position, is now telling us that people who are developing scenarios of destruction, destabilization, and extremism in the country should not be subject to criminal liability. This statement cannot be interpreted differently. Instead of calling on these protesters or people with different views to obey the law, participate in the electoral process, and instead of coming to Georgia as observers, they are calling on the state not to take any measures against the individuals who recently attacked the Presidential Palace using so-called ‘masculine force.’ Recently, there were several attempts to spill blood on the central avenue of Georgia, and OSCE/ODIHR is now saying that nothing should be done against this. If they riot and commit violence once, they should be allowed to do it again, and if the law provides light consequences the first time, the second time the consequences should be even milder, and they should be allowed to do as they please. So I do not think this statement is a politically fair appeal,” – said Gia Volski.

According to him, the expression of opposing views in the country is not restricted.

“We believe that a large part of society should know that their interests are being protected and that expressing opposing views and holding protest rallies is not restricted in the country. But when this crosses into the threshold of violence, measures should be tightened. A small group of individuals cannot keep the entire country under blackmail. This is the reality, and when you ignore this reality and know for a fact that the elections in Georgia were held fairly, it means that the pressure and bullying carried out against OSCE/ODIHR by the ‘deep state’ was effective,” – Volski stated.

For reference, OSCE/ODIHR published a conclusion regarding the amendments to Georgia’s Administrative Offenses Code and Criminal Code, stating that the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are integral foundations of a democratic, tolerant, and pluralistic society. States have positive obligations to respect, protect, and enable the exercise of these rights without discrimination.

OSCE/ODIHR explained that their conclusion should be read in the context of the serious concerns previously expressed by ODIHR, international and regional organizations and bodies, national observers, and other stakeholders about this and earlier legislative initiatives — specifically, initiatives that excessively restrict the rights to peaceful assembly, freedom of expression, and freedom of association, as well as the recent arrests of peaceful protesters, human rights defenders, and opposition politicians for their peaceful participation in protests, “which represents a clear violation of Georgia’s international human rights obligations.”