Council of Europe to Review June 20 Cases Under Enhanced Supervision, GYLA Says
By Messenger Staff
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
The Georgian Young Lawyers Association said the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe is beginning to review the implementation of rulings related to the June 20 events under an enhanced supervision procedure.
According to the organization, this type of monitoring is used in cases involving systemic problems or serious violations, and means closer oversight of how the state carries out required measures.
"The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe is starting to consider the issue of the execution of the June 20 cases under enhanced supervision," the group said. "Enhanced supervision means that the Committee will monitor the state's implementation of the measures relating to this case with a more intensive, special attention regime."
The review follows a December 11, 2025 ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, which found that the Georgian state violated several provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights during the crackdown on protests on June 20-21, 2019, widely known as "Gavrilov Night."
The court found violations of the prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment, as well as the rights to freedom of assembly and expression. The events left demonstrators and journalists injured, with some suffering serious eye damage.
In its decision, the court also outlined standards for the use of force, including so-called kinetic means, and said the state must bring its legal framework in line with international human rights norms.
The Georgian Young Lawyers Association said it had formally asked the Committee of Ministers in March 2026 to apply enhanced supervision, arguing that the case reflects broader, systemic problems in how protests are managed and investigated.
"The June 20 case demonstrates systemic and structural problems in the regulatory framework and practice of managing protests, as well as in terms of effective subsequent investigations," the organization said.
It added that concerns go beyond the use of rubber bullets and include broader issues, such as the handling of less lethal weapons and the use of chemical mixtures in water cannons during later protests in 2019.
According to the group, instead of improving since then, the legal framework and practices have worsened. It said the scale of the issues requires legislative changes in line with international standards and separate monitoring by the Council of Europe.
