Public Defender Nino Lomjaria says that the right of Malkhaz Machalikashvili, the father of Temirlan Machalikashvili who was shot dead during special operation in Pankisi Gorge in 2017, to set up a tent must be protected.

There is a high standard of freedom of meeting and expression and “it can be restricted just in strictly defined exceptional cases.”

“As for the right to the meeting at somebody’s house, the law prohibits such meeting only in the case of judges. However, I believe that while holding a protest rally outside the house of a public person, we should take into consideration that at home, which is a personal and protected area, maybe children, old people, disabled people etc. for whom it may become a source of great stress. I think that we should respect the private life of a person and the inviolability of personal space and the mentioned circumstances should be taken into consideration when expressing protest. As for setting up tents, it is the part of the Georgian citizens’ right to freedom of meeting and expression and its restriction must substantiated by the state.

The Public Defender has filed a suit to the Constitutional Court regarding the existed wrong practice, and we hope the court will make an explanation in its verdict regarding the mentioned issue.

I call on the MIA to ensure protection of the citizens’ constitutional rights, public order and private safety of citizens,” the Public Defender said.

source: IPN/ interpressnews.ge