MEKVABISHVILI v. GEORGIA

Published on 8 January 2024 FIFTH SECTIONApplication no. 37567/23Giorgi MEKVABISHVILIagainst Georgialodged on 10 October 2023communicated on 4 December 2023SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASEThe case concerns the dispersal of a demonstration of 7-8 March 2023, the applicant’s arrest during that process, and the administrative-offence proceedings against him for having disobeyed lawful orders of the police. The demonstration was a large-scale protest against the Parliament’s hearing of two draft Acts aimed at introducing various regulations for non‑governmental organisations in receipt of foreign funding. The draft Acts were eventually withdrawn.The applicant complained that the authorities’ dispersal of the demonstration, his arrest, and the eventual conviction (final judgment of 9 June 2023, adopted by means of written proceedings, allegedly served on the applicant on 15 June 2023) had constitut …