Georgia's public ombudsman accused police on Tuesday of inflicting torture on people arrested during six days of big street protests against the government's decision to suspend talks on joining the European Union.
Levan Ioseliani, whose role is to defend citizens' rights, said he and his officials had met people subjected to "the harshest treatment" by police.
"In most cases, they have received serious injuries in the face, eye and head area, which practically excludes even the possibility that the police used the necessary, proportional force against them every time," he said in a statement.
"The location, character, and degree of the injuries create a credible impression that the police use violent methods against citizens in order to punish them. Intentional, severe violence for the purpose of punishment constitutes an act of torture."
Reuters requested comment from the government and the ruling Georgian Dream party but none was immediately available.
The United States has previously condemned the use of "excessive force" against protesters. But Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has repeatedly praised the police for their response, saying they have shown greater professionalism than their counterparts in Europe and the U.S.
The country of 3.7 million people has been gripped by crisis since last Thursday, when Georgian Dream announced it was halting the EU talks and renouncing any funding from the bloc until 2028.
Georgia has been one of the former Soviet Union's most pro-Western successor states, but critics accuse the government of abandoning that course and steering it closer towards Russia. The crisis is being closely watched in Moscow, Brussels and Washington.
Demonstrators gathered on Tuesday evening for a sixth successive night of protests, with no end in sight to the standoff.
In a setback for critics of the government, Georgia's constitutional court on Tuesday declined to hear a lawsuit seeking to annul the results of an Oct. 26 parliamentary election. It was officially won by Georgian Dream with almost 54% of the vote but the opposition says it was tainted by fraud.
Prime minister Kobakhidze accused the demonstrators of trying to organise a repeat of the 2014 "Maidan" revolution that ousted a pro-Russian president in Ukraine, but said it was "already over". He said the organisers had tried to grab power and would be brought to justice.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, a pro-EU critic of the ruling party who backs the protests, told Reuters this week that there was no attempted revolution, and the protests' sole demand was to re-run the election.
The crisis follows months of tensions and a souring of Georgia's relations with the West as the ruling party has pushed through laws that critics say are draconian and Russian-inspired. The government says they are necessary to defend the country's sovereignty.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze hosted his Armenian counterpart, Nikol Pashinyan, during his visit to Tbilisi, as both leaders underscored the strategic partnership and positive trajectory in bilateral relations between their countries.
Bulgaria can play a key role in the development of the Green Energy Corridor project, - said Energy Minister, Zhecho Stankov, at the 10th ministerial meeting in connection with the strategic partnership agreement for the development and transmission of green energy.
The Swedish Government has instructed Sida, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, to stop all cooperation with Georgia in response to "the serious deterioration of the democratic situation" in the country.
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Hunter Biden has voluntarily surrendered his license to practice law in Washington, D.C., following criminal convictions that raised questions about his professional eligibility.
Brazil has named automotive industry executive Dan Ioschpe as its official “climate champion” for the COP30 summit, to be held in Belém this November.
Within hours of Trump’s “Liberation Day” speech, a chorus of global voices began responding — some cautiously, others furiously. While the U.S. president promised to rebalance what he called “decades of economic exploitation,” world capitals began drawing their own red lines.
Standing in the White House Rose Garden, President Donald Trump declared what he called “Liberation Day”, announcing a raft of tariffs on U.S. trading partners — the most expansive use of trade powers in modern American history.
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French far-right leader Marine Le Pen was banned from running for public office for five years after being convicted of embezzlement, ruling her out of the 2027 presidential race. She received a four-year prison sentence, with two years suspended, and a €100,000 fine. Le Pen plans to appeal.
Apple marked its 49th anniversary by reaching a market capitalization of $3.3 trillion. Despite recent tech stock volatility, Apple's shares surged 28% in 2024.
The Armenian armed forces attempted three reconnaissance drone flights over Azerbaijan Army positions near Gerenzur, but all were successfully intercepted. Meanwhile, Armenian units repeatedly fired on Azerbaijani positions from multiple regions, escalating tensions in the area.
The King of the Kingdom of Gureshaba, Doku Hmaiai Hippolyte Sinewami Htamumu, has formally applied to join the Baku Initiative Group. The Kingdom of Gureshaba is located on Nenon Island in New Caledonia.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has tested positive for COVID-19, according to his doctor, Asim Hussain. The 70-year-old leader has been advised to remain in isolation as a precautionary measure, while his condition is reported to be improving.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Hungary signals diplomatic defiance as he travels despite an ICC arrest warrant. With Hungary rejecting the court’s ruling, the trip highlights shifting alliances while Israel presses ahead with its military operations in Gaza amid growing international pressure.
Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, made press statements and responded to journalists’ questions. The President of Azerbaijan made the statement first.
Taiwan has reported a sharp increase in Chinese military activity as Beijing concluded two days of war games around the island, intensifying tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
Hunter Biden has voluntarily surrendered his license to practice law in Washington, D.C., following criminal convictions that raised questions about his professional eligibility.
Brazil has named automotive industry executive Dan Ioschpe as its official “climate champion” for the COP30 summit, to be held in Belém this November.
Within hours of Trump’s “Liberation Day” speech, a chorus of global voices began responding — some cautiously, others furiously. While the U.S. president promised to rebalance what he called “decades of economic exploitation,” world capitals began drawing their own red lines.
Standing in the White House Rose Garden, President Donald Trump declared what he called “Liberation Day”, announcing a raft of tariffs on U.S. trading partners — the most expansive use of trade powers in modern American history.
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