The Grand Chamber of the Strasbourg Court has delivered its decision in the case Tsaava and Others v. Georgia, reaffirming the state’s legitimate right to use special means when law enforcement officers and state bodies are under attack. Such a statement made today Georgia’s Minister of Justice. As he added, the Court also identified certain shortcomings in the investigation of the events of June 20 - 21, 2019.

“It is true that the Prosecutor’s Office [PoG] immediately launched an investigation; however, violations were found in the process of handling the criminal case itself. The responsibility of senior officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the proportionality of force used against demonstrators were not fully examined. In this regard, the Grand Chamber found that, in certain cases, disproportionate force was used during the dispersal of the rally. At the same time, it was emphasized that the Georgian authorities actively cooperated with the Court to establish the facts.

The PoG, following the Chamber’s decision on June 7, 2024, intensified its investigation. As a result, criminal proceedings were initiated against former Prime Minister / then Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia on November 12, 2025.

The circumstances highlighted by the Strasbourg Court have already been addressed by our PoG and will continue to be considered in the ongoing investigation. This should put an end to claims that Giorgi Gakharia is being politically persecuted by the Government…

When I mentioned that disproportionate force was used in certain cases, I referred to instances where rubber bullets were fired, and people who may not have actively attacked the police were injured.

To make a thorough and meaningful judgment, we need to familiarize ourselves with the reasoned decision. As always, the Georgian government shares and implements Strasbourg Court decisions, and we will take into account the recommendations contained in this ruling.

Certain violations did occur during the dispersal of demonstration, and we do not deny this. Our investigation revealed these violations, which is why criminal prosecution was initiated against the former Prime Minister [Giorgi Gakharia]. This investigation aims to hold those responsible legally accountable and assess whether the harm and violations could have been avoided”, - said Paata Salia.