On 22 September, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) accepted the cases of Georgian social activists Giga Makarashvili, Zuka Berdzenishvili and Irakli Kacharava who were detained during the 17 November rally dispersal in Tbilisi last year, reported agenda.ge.   

The applications were prepared by the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA). Eduard Marikashvili, a lawyer of the GYLA said that the main demand was for the ECHR to recognise the violation of freedom of assembly and association. In a Facebook post, Makarashvili wrote that he and the other two victims did not ask for compensation, as they ‘will not take money from the pockets of poor Georgians.’

Ten individuals, including the members of the civic movement “Shame,” Giga Makarashvili, Zuka Berdzenishvili and Irakli Kacharava, were detained at parliament in Tbilisi for disobeying police and hooliganism while protesting the rejection of the ruling-party’s proposed election bill. On 17 November, two opposition-led rallies were held in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi following the failure of a bill which would introduce the proportional election system in the country. Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia assured that everyone in Georgia has the freedom of expression and the state will ensure that right (Caucasus Watch reported).