Today, on the 52nd consecutive day of ongoing protests, participants in a peaceful assembly marched from Sarajishvili metro station to the Temka police department. In an act of defiance against the police regime, citizens covered their faces with masks and scarves, which led to the violent arrest of six individuals. According to eyewitnesses and video footage, the glass door of the police station was shattered[1] as one of the detainees was taken inside.

Among the arrested individuals are members of the theatrical platform Haraki—Mariam Paichadze, director Guram Matskhonashvili, and actress Tamar Chumashvili—as well as activists Sona Kalandadze, Roman Akopov, and Mariam Gilashvili.

As seen in publicly available video recordings, police officers demanded that the march participants remove their masks for identification purposes. The citizens complied, briefly unveiling their faces, yet they were still arrested by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) representatives. Prior to the detentions, protesters had openly declared their defiance against the police regime. It is important to note that the use of masks, as well as verbal expressions of disobedience, were integral to the essence and message of the protest. These verbal expressions of defiance were not directed at law enforcement officers personally but were a symbolic act against repressive laws and police practices—an act protected under the right to assembly and freedom of expression. This is further evidenced by the fact that the protesters did not resist police officers during the identification process and complied with their instructions.

As the public is aware, one month ago, the ruling Georgian Dream government passed a repressive law banning the use of masks at protests[2]. The initiators of this legislation claimed that the measure aimed to prevent criminal activities during demonstrations. However, from the outset, it was clear that this law would serve as a tool for punishing, intimidating, and mass-arresting protesters.

The blanket ban on face coverings, as imposed by Georgian Dream, contradicts international standards, including the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights and recommendations by the Venice Commission. It arbitrarily restricts both the form and content of protests, leaving no room for exceptions. The regulation is even more unjustified given that during crackdowns and arrests at protests, it is nearly impossible to identify law enforcement officers due to their use of masks and the absence of identification numbers. Meanwhile, the so-called titushky—state-backed provocateurs—who operate under the protection of Georgian Dream, frequently wear masks while committing acts of violence against peaceful protesters and journalists.

An analysis of recent detentions reveals that the abuse of administrative arrests and the use of disproportionate force by law enforcement have become a systematic practice. Moreover, police officers used excessive physical force against detainees, even when the overwhelming number of officers made resistance impossible. Forcing individuals into police custody through violence and inflicting injuries constitutes a clear case of excessive force. To date, the Special Investigation Service, which is mandated to oversee police misconduct, has not issued any statements regarding the incident.

We remind the public that nearly 500 people have been administratively detained during continuous peaceful protests. The vast majority of them bear marks of police violence and cruel treatment. Not a single law enforcement officer has been arrested in connection with these acts of violence, nor has any police officer been suspended from duty. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the courts have ruled in favor of administrative charges against peaceful demonstrators, imposing either imprisonment or heavy fines.

This pattern of repression once again confirms that Georgian Dream has fully embraced an authoritarian approach, turning law enforcement agencies into instruments of partisan control. The mass arrests and physical violence against protesters serve to weaken and punish the opposition movement while signaling a deepening authoritarian rule. The politicization of state institutions and the widespread use of police violence leave citizens completely vulnerable to the repressive apparatus.

Despite unprecedented international pressure and continuous peaceful protests, it is evident that Georgian Dream lacks a political strategy to resolve the country’s ongoing crisis. This reality is leading Georgia into a deadlock, with potentially severe and long-term consequences for the country's development and future.

We Call on the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Investigative Authorities to:

• Immediately release the detained individuals.
• Provide the public with information on the whereabouts and health conditions of the detainees.
• Conduct an investigation into the use of excessive force and police violence against protest participants.

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