Statement on Violence Against LGBT Activists on May 17

May 18, 2013

S T A T E M E N T 

On May 17, 2013, International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, following assault on the LGBT right activists and their supporters 17 people have been injured, including police officers and journalists. Some of the assailants have tried to rout the office of the Identoba – LGTB rights protecting organization. According to the Ombudsman of Georgia, “counter-activists, including clergymen, were acting aggressively from the very outset and were chasing the activists.

Their goal was not to express their protests peacefully, but to bodily harm the activists, there were instances of extremist outcries and hate-speech. They were deliberately pursuing microbuses that were used by the Ministry of the Internal Affairs personnel to remove activists from the scene, so it is obvious that the counter-protest has gone beyond legal framework”.

International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia protest witnessed numerous incidents that would require appropriate response from the state. It should be noted also that Ministry of Internal Affairs failed to take adequate preventive measures.

Recent events make it clear that that systemic approach towards investigation is being carried out in rather vague way, so it would be extremely important for the state to start investigation of the events mentioned above as soon as possible. Accordingly, we urge the Ministry of the Internal Affairs and Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia:

• To conduct efficient investigation of the May 17 events, treating all engaged persons in an equal way
• To identify violators by means of video materials widely spread following the events, start criminal proceedings against them and keep society informed about the investigation process
• To observe its obligations assumed under international agreements and to use convention standards in practice.
• To respect human rights and to take all appropriate measure to ensure non-infringement of fundamental rights
• To conduct activities that would ensure raise of awareness of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Prosecutor’s Office’s officers on homophobia and transphobia

The signatory organisations (the members of the Georgian National Platform):

1.      Association “Green Alternative” 

2.      Georgia Press Association 

3.      Civil Society Institute 

4.      Human Rights Centre 

5.      “Women Enterprise” Fund Georgia 

6.      Open Society Georgia Foundation 

7.      Studio “Re”

8.      Healthy World

9.      Public Advocacy

10.  United Public Movement “Multinational Georgia” 

11.  Institute for Development of Freedom of Information 

12.  Women’s Initiatives supporting Group

13.  United Public Movement “Multinational Georgia”

14.  International Center on Conflict and Negotiation 

15.  IDP Association “Consent” 

16.  Association “MERKURI”

17.  Georgian Trade Union Confederation 

18.  Repatriates’ Union 

19.  Transparency International Georgia 

20.  Centre for Policy Analysis 

21.  Europe House

22.  Article 42 of the Constitution

23.  Foundation for Media Development    

24.  Institute of Democracy

25.  Association for the Farmers’ Rights Defense 

26.  Association DEA for Disabled Women and Mothers of Disabled Children

27.  Caucasus Environmental NGO network

28.  Penal Reform International

29.  Heinrich Boell Foundation South Caucasus Regional Office

30.  European Initiative – Liberal Academy Tbilisi 

31.  Coalition for Independent Living 

32.  Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development 

33.  Youth center – Georgia

34.  Youth for Justice

35.  Radio “Green Wave”

36.  International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy

37.  Institute for Policy Studies

38.   Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies

39.   Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association