According to Minister of Justice Paata Salia, the Strasbourg Court’s ruling on the events of 20–21 June 2019 confirms the state’s legitimate right to “use special means during a violent rally.”­

“The first and most important point is that the Court once again confirmed the state’s right to use special means when there is an attack on law enforcement officers and state institutions. This was clearly emphasized, and in this case, the state’s full legitimate right to use special means was reaffirmed,” he said.

Paata Salia noted that the decision also refers to certain shortcomings identified during the investigation. Specifically, the Grand Chamber of the Strasbourg Court considered that, in some instances, disproportionate force was used during the dispersal of the rally. The minister added that the Georgian government actively cooperated with the Court in establishing these circumstances, “and this is also highlighted in the Strasbourg Court’s decision.”

“As you know, the Georgian Prosecutor’s Office itself, following the Chamber judgment of 7 June 2024, took the correct steps to intensify the investigation and identify the responsibility of senior officials, the result of which was the initiation of criminal prosecution against former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia on 12 November 2025. The Grand Chamber of the Strasbourg Court established precisely the circumstances that our Prosecutor’s Office had already been working on… These findings will also be taken into account within the ongoing investigation,” he said.

According to Paata Salia, the Grand Chamber’s ruling has put an end to claims that Giorgi Gakharia is facing political persecution.

“I believe this ruling puts an end to the political statements alleging that Mr. Gakharia is being politically persecuted by the government. After this, there should be no questions on this matter. The Strasbourg Court confirmed that, in certain cases, excessive force was used by senior officials during the dispersal of the demonstration,” Paata Salia stated.

For reference, within the judgment delivered by the European Court of Human Rights in the so-called ‘Gavrilov Night’ case, the state has been ordered to pay compensation.

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