“It is important that Giorgi Gakharia, who is hiding in one of the key EU countries — Germany — return to Georgia and fully face justice,” said Archil Gorduladze, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, while commenting on the Strasbourg Court’s ruling regarding the events of June 20–21, 2019. “It is now interesting what statement will be made by the German ambassador, who has been repeatedly accused of interfering in Georgia’s internal affairs.”

According to him, it is crucial that every person responsible for human rights violations be held accountable, just as former Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia has been.

“The Strasbourg Court confirmed once again that the rally on June 19–20 was violent, with a direct storming of the Parliament building taking place. The Court also deemed the use of police measures against protesters as legitimate. At the same time, it found a violation in terms of proportionality. It also established that the investigation was not carried out in a timely manner and that the individuals responsible — whose actions endangered people’s lives and health and caused irreversible harm, such as in the case of Maka Gomuri — have not been held accountable. This is why launching an investigation was important. The results of that investigation are known to everyone: charges were brought in absentia against Gakharia, who has fled to Germany. He himself had publicly stated that he took full responsibility for the events, yet now he is hiding in Germany and is receiving financial support, including stipends from the German side. It will be interesting to see what statement will now be made by the German ambassador — a person who represents a country where an individual implicated in human rights violations, including by Georgian investigative authorities, is currently taking refuge,” Gorduladze stated.

For reference, the European Court of Human Rights has ordered the Georgian state to compensate 26 individuals in connection with the so-called “Gavrilov Night” case.

According to the Strasbourg Court’s ruling in Tsaava and Others v. Georgia, the state must pay two applicants €75,000 each as compensation for material damages, and another two applicants €85,000 each.

The decision also states that Georgia must pay all complainants varying amounts as compensation for non-pecuniary damages.

Additionally, the state must pay €38,414.99 to 22 applicants to cover legal costs.

The state must compensate the applicants within three months of the judgment’s publication.