Three Persons Recognized as Victims of June 20-21 Events

The Prosecutor's Office of Georgia recognized peaceful demonstrators Mako Gomuri, Omar Sekhniashvili and Mirza Liparteliani as victims of June 20-21 events.

"On 20-21 June, 2019, within the framework of the investigation into the events that occured in the vicinity of the Parliament building, on the basis of the findings of forensic examination and as a result of additional investigative actions relating to alleged criminal episodes, Maia Gomuri, Omar Sekhniashvili and Mirza Lipartelianni were recognized as victims," reads the statement of the investigation agency. 

As for the issue of recognizing other persons as victims within the framework of the ongoing investigation, the agency reports that a decision will be taken after the completion of investigative procedures, and the public will be informed periodically. 

The Prosecutor's Office earlier granted victim status to 67 police officers and for protesters in the June 20 case.

Protests on Rustaveli Avenue started on June 20 in reaction to the visit of three Russian MPs to Georgia within the framework of a session of the Inter-parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy held at the Parliament building, mostly due to the fact that Russian MP Sergei Gavrilov sat in the parliamentary Speaker’s chair, speaking in Russian, which many Georgians saw as the unwelcome reminder of the Russian occupation of the country's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia). 

The protest turned into clashes with police after protesters tried to enter the parliament building. 

The so-called Gavrilov Night protest was dispersed by riot police with the use of tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon. 240 individuals, including 32 journalists and 80 law enforcers, were injured during a clash on Rustaveli Avenue on June 20-21. 

By Ana Dumbadze