Peaceful protests against the suspension of the European integration process and the establishment of consolidated authoritarianism by "Georgian Dream" have been ongoing continuously since November 28. On the 10th day of the protest, the authorities resumed forms of terror and intimidation against citizens. The representatives of "Georgian Dream" officially announced legislative changes to impose restrictions on the protest participants. Additionally, the trend of intimidating and harassing citizens through telephone calls continues.

Like the other days of the protest wave, the gatherings on December 8-9 were peaceful, and there were no violent actions by the participants. Compared to the previous two nights, more people gathered, likely as a result of the passivity of the special forces and informal violent groups, known as "Titushky." On December 8, a large-scale protest action was also held in Tbilisi, Zugdidi, Batumi, and Kutaisi.

The Social Justice Center has identified the following trend in human rights violations related to the ongoing protests on December 8-9:

Announcement of legislative changes to impose restrictions on demonstrators

Irakli Kobakhidze responded to the attack by "Titushky" on representatives of "TV First" on December 7.[1] According to our analysis, several similar incidents have occurred in recent days. This represents a particularly dangerous trend which, coupled with large-scale violence against participants of peaceful assemblies, makes the practice of violence even more uncontrollable and hazardous. Transferring the state's monopoly on violence to private individuals carries enormous risks for human life, health, and social peace. Kobakhidze described this incident as a provocation by radicals, whose sole purpose could be to artificially escalate the situation. Following Mamuka Mdinaradze's statement, Irakli Kobakhidze officially announced the initiation of legislative changes aimed at preventing violence during protests. He noted that many protestors wear masks, hindering the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) from identifying them. According to Kobakhidze, a solution to this issue would be a law that restricts the covering of faces by participants of gatherings (including counter-gatherings) by any means.[2]

The announced legislative changes are aimed at restricting the freedom of assembly and expression in the name of prevention of criminal acts at the protest rally. This is caused by several circumstances:

• The prohibition of face covering will allow law enforcement officers to identify protestors without hindrance, which could facilitate persecution, violence, and intimidation against them.
• If the ban on wearing masks and protective equipment is intended to prevent crimes at rallies, the authorities should ensure that law enforcement officers equipped with special uniforms can be identified by individualized numbers or symbols. This is especially important when officers are wearing "robo-cop" style helmets and/or masks, which obscure their identities and complicate accountability for investigative and law enforcement purposes.[3] Notably, "Georgian Dream" has not addressed the prevention of crimes committed by law enforcement, which has been a primary source of violence and aggression at the protest rallies.
• With this initiative, "Georgian Dream" is attempting to distance the government from the actions of the "Titushky," aiming to frame protest actions as inherently violent and shift responsibility to the participants of the action and other groups, including opposition political parties. The organization of masked gangs and the police's inaction towards their violence clearly demonstrate that these groups act in coordination with the authorities and state agencies.

Taking these factors into account, it is increasingly evident that the real motivation behind "Georgian Dream's" legislative changes is to suppress the protest wave and intimidate the demonstrators.

It should also be noted that banning the use of masks at demonstrations could unjustifiably interfere with the right to assembly. At this stage, the specific normative content of the ban announced by the authorities is unclear. However, according to international human rights law, a blanket ban on the use of all masks at demonstrations would constitute a disproportionate and unjustified interference with the right to peaceful assembly.[4]

Briefing by the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and New Data on Arrests and Injuries

Yesterday, on December 8, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, announced at a briefing that more than 30 people have been identified and prosecuted in connection with the protests that began on November 28. According to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 372 individuals have been arrested, with proceedings initiated against them. Of these, 62 people have received administrative detention, and more than 100 have been fined as a form of punishment. Darakhvelidze also stated that 150 police officers were injured during the demonstrations, although he did not provide any evidence or information regarding the severity of the injuries.[5]

Entry of Law Enforcement Officers into the Residences of Politicians

Like on previous days of the protest, reports emerged on December 8-9 about the entry of law enforcement officers into the residences of opposition representatives. On December 8, Giorgi Vashadze, one of the leaders of the "Unity - National Movement," was brought to his home by the criminal police department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where he was summoned to the department as a witness for questioning in a case involving the organization of group violence.[6] A few hours later, law enforcement officers arrived at the residence of Zurab Japaridze, one of the leaders of the "Coalition for Change," and demanded access to the perimeter cameras without presenting any documents.[7] The frequent entry into the apartments of representatives of opposition parties and activists for various reasons—such as searches, arrests, serving subpoenas, or obtaining video recordings is aimed at demonstrating power and intimidating individuals.

Attempts to Intimidate Citizens with Phone Calls

On December 8, reports emerged of journalists and activists being threatened and insulted by calls from foreign numbers. Some citizens received calls from Georgian numbers, while others reported calls from international numbers.[8] Earlier this year, similar tactics were used to influence participants during the rallies against the "Russian Law." The Personal Data Protection Service began investigating these incidents in May 2024, but no one has been held accountable. According to the service, the implementation of these telephone calls considering their use, frequency, and scale was premeditated and organized. Given the indications of criminal activity, the case was referred to the prosecutor's office.[9] Since May, the prosecutor's office has not released any updates on the progress of the investigation.

Given that instances of psychological pressure on rally participants have increased in recent days, an escalation in the use of telephone intimidation and threats should also be anticipated.

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