COPENHAGEN, 3 December 2024 – In response to protests and clashes with the police in recent days in Georgia, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Special Representative on the South Caucasus, Luis Graça (Portugal), called on the protesters to refrain from violence and on the authorities to respect the fundamental freedoms of assembly and expression. Today he issued the following statement:

“I am deeply concerned about the ongoing developments in Georgia following the October parliamentary elections. Reports of violence during the recent demonstrations are alarming. I echo the concerns expressed by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

I also urge all demonstrators to exercise their right to peaceful protest in a manner that respects the rule of law because acts of violence cannot be tolerated. I call for the protests to be peaceful. At the same time, while I emphasize that the police have a duty to exercise restraint in responding to demonstrators, it is important for the authorities to listen to the voices of the protesters and to respect fundamental freedoms.

As highlighted in the preliminary findings of the international election observation mission, the elections took place in a deeply polarized environment, which we still see today. While I encourage everybody to take into consideration the upcoming final report of the OSCE/ODIHR on the elections, I call upon all sides to engage in a constructive and open dialogue to rebuild trust and strengthen democratic institutions.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly stands ready to assist in fostering dialogue and supporting solutions that uphold the democratic and constitutional order, the rule of law, and the well-being of all Georgians. This also includes, but is not limited to, any engagement to ensure an efficient follow-up related to the recommendations of the final report of the OSCE/ODIHR, which need to be addressed in parliament.

At this critical juncture, I call upon all sides to engage in a constructive and open dialogue to rebuild trust and strengthen democratic institutions. The people of Georgia deserve a peaceful and democratic future, and our Assembly remains dedicated to supporting efforts to achieve this goal.”

In the OSCE PA’s Bucharest Declaration adopted last July, the Assembly “call[ed] upon the OSCE and its participating States to reconsider security architecture from a comprehensive lens to support States that are entitled to the safety and protections as enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act and the Charter of the United Nations but which lack the security guarantees to fully enforce them, including principally Ukraine but also potentially other ‘grey zone’ States such as the Republic of Moldova, Georgia and Armenia.”

For more information about the work of the Special Representative on the South Caucasus, please click here.