TSU Students Demand Accountability Over Police Presence During Protest
By Liza Mchedlidze
Thursday, November 21, 2024
A group of Tbilisi State University (TSU) students has issued a statement condemning Rector Jaba Samushia for allegedly facilitating police actions during the November 19 protest. Riot police reportedly used the university campus to stage their operation, crossing through the grounds to disperse demonstrators.
The students accuse the rector of being responsible for "closing the doors of the university for students," "deploying police forces in the historic building," and enabling "violence against students in the yard of the university." While Samushia reportedly proposed a meeting with the students, they insist it should take place in a public forum with critical media present and open participation for all students. "A meeting with the rector can only make sense if it is held in a public space, in the presence of critical media, and all students of the university will have the opportunity to ask questions to the rector," their statement declared.
The incident sparked sharp criticism from university faculty. Political science lecturer Lado Napetvaridze questioned the university's role in the operation, asking, "Can someone explain to me why the riot police were using the university premises to plan the special operation? Where do I work? Am I the TSU lecturer or the MIA officer?"
Iago Kachkachishvili, head of TSU's Sociology Program, called the events a "gross violation of all standards of academic social responsibility" and urged the rector to clarify the situation. Similarly, Salome Dundua, Dean of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, condemned the presence of police on campus, stating, "There is no place for police in the university."
Dundua also voiced broader concerns about the university's mission, writing, "Tbilisi State University has always been, is, and must remain the institute of transfer of knowledge, education, academic and research experience, and national values. What has happened, in fact, calls into question this purpose and these values and tarnishes its reputation."
The controversy surrounding the police presence on campus has amplified calls for accountability, with both students and faculty demanding answers and action to safeguard academic integrity and the university's independence.
