Parliamentary inquiry deliberates on facts of grave human rights violations during dispersal of May 26 demonstration under UNM Gov’t

The Parliament’s Temporary Investigative Commission examining crimes committed by the former United National Movement Government between 2003 and 2012 on Monday held a hearing focusing on the facts of grave human rights violations during the violent dispersal of the May 26, 2011 demonstration in Tbilisi.

During the session, David Lortkipanidze highlighted that all roads leading out of Rustaveli Avenue were impassable during the dispersal of the rally.

“Various special equipment was utilised for the dispersal. Plastic handcuffs were employed to apprehend the rally participants. They were subjected to physical assault, resulting in fractures and mutilations. Consequently, the injured individuals were taken to the Republican Hospital, where they were accommodated on the floor due to a shortage of beds”, he noted.

According to Lortkipanidze, the information disseminated by the then authorities following the dispersal regarding the alleged demise of two individuals after the electric shock on the roof of the shop adjacent to the Liberty Square subway station was entirely false.

He further added that one of the deceased individuals, Suliko Asatiani, sustained severe injuries, including the gouging of his eye, the tearing of his throat, and the fracturing of his hands.

As he noted, Asatiani’s family faced immense pressure. Their son was poisoned within the police department, and the parents were offered a substantial sum of money for their silence, accompanied by the threat of eliminating their other children.

He also noted that the friends and relatives of Asatiani, being intimidated, dared not appear at the funeral.

According to Lortkipanidze, following the change of authority, it was disclosed that the forensic material on the body of Asatiani had been destroyed.

He further provided information about the illegal alienation of the National Mint and the closure of the school of a famous Georgian scientist, Korneli Kekelidze, in his home village, Mikelefoni.

The Commission also questioned the legendary chess player, Nona Gaprindashvili, who also reported on the May 26, 2011, rally dispersal.

“On May 26, we were subjected to a meticulously planned and executed special operation. The objective was to inflict punishment upon us. The atrocities we witnessed were utterly unimaginable and constitute a slaughter, as I call it. Since April 9th, I have observed numerous rallies, but I have never witnessed such a brutal event. We were surrounded by three walls of law enforcement forces, rendering all ways of escape impassable. The reason I recalled April 9th—that tragic and terrible day—is because the people on April 9th were indeed pursued, yet they still managed to escape, unlike May 26th”, Gaprindashvili said.

According to her, the journalist of the newspaper Asaval-Dasavali was shot with approximately 40 rubber bullets. Consequently, up to 800 citizens were apprehended, and she herself sustained significant injuries, including bruises.

As she noted, rubber bullets were fired directly at the face of one of the rally participants, causing him to fall. Subsequently, a special forces vehicle ran over his chest twice, resulting in the severance of his scalp.

She further added that the special forces officers proceeded to walk over his body with their boots.

David Chichinadze, the son of Nona Gaprindashvili, also contributed his recollections.

He recalled the severe physical assaults inflicted upon the rally protesters on Rustaveli Avenue and within the police department and noted that the primary objective of the dispersal was to instill fear and intimidation within the populace.

The Commission also questioned a famous actor, Gia Burjanadze, who joined the sitting online from the Istanbul Clinic.

According to him, the May 26 rally was peaceful without inciting violence and a coup.

As he noted, the dispersal of the May 26 rally resulted in the loss of more lives than the two individuals found on the roof. Several individuals succumbed to their injuries within a few months, while others tragically took their own lives.

He further added that his health was severely compromised by the stress, necessitating prolonged medical attention that continues to this day.

The Commission also questioned Eldar (Luka) Kurtanidze, who asserted that the May 26 dispersal resulted in the loss of numerous lives, as the injuries sustained during the punishment operation directly caused the deaths of these individuals.

According to him, he and other participants who were handcuffed were subjected to severe beatings on Rustaveli Avenue and within the main police department.

As he noted, the police officers subjected him to a form of public humiliation by inflicting physical assault, which was subsequently captured on video.

He further added that the special forces officers under the command of Data Akhalaia exhibited exceptional brutality, disregarding even the law enforcement officers who attempted to protect him.

The Commission schedules its next sitting on May 20.

“We will hear five journalists reporting about the gross violation of freedom of expression and freedom of media”, The Chair of the Commission Thea Tsulukiani said.