EU, US Ambassadors to Georgia send a joint open letter to victims of June 2019 protests

The Ambassador of the US to Georgia, Kelly Degnan, and the EU Ambassador Carl Hartzell have sent a joint letter to the activists who were injured during the June 2019 protests in Tbilisi. The letter came as a response to the open letter sent by civil activists on May 14, in which they expressed their protest over the law which provides amnesty to all those charged with violations and convictions related to June 19-21, 2019 protests in Tbilisi, including the violations conducted by law enforcement agents.

In their letter, Ambassadors Degnan and Hartzell thanked the signatories for their letter and reinstated that as Georgian partners, they have worked to end the political crisis which erupted in the country following October 2020 Parliamentary elections:

“The 19 April Agreement was a compromise brokered through a challenging mediation process and its contents are fully owned by Georgia’s political leaders. Under its first article, the agreement outlines a commitment to address cases of perceived politicized justice”, the joint statement reads.

Ambassadors also noted that the amnesty law referenced in the April 19 agreement “pertains to a painful episode of the Georgian history,” not only for the victims but also because of the challenges that it posed to the country’s democratic institutions:

“The amnesty law referenced in the Agreement pertains to a painful episode in Georgia’s history, not only for the victims of the events of 19-21 June 2019 but also because of the challenges the events posed to Georgia’s democratic institutions. In such a polarized environment, an inclusive process in Parliament is needed to foster reforms that will prevent a recurrence of such tragic events and bring greater transparency and accountability”.

The joint letter also underscored the importance of all stakeholders to ensure the implementation of the agreement:

“Following the Agreement’s conclusion, it is now vital that all stakeholders ensure its successful implementation in the interest of ending Georgia’s paralyzing political crisis. This allows all parties to work to further Georgia’s democratic consolidation and pursue Justice and accountability through strengthened democratic institutions,” the letter concluded.