Georgia: Police Use of Gender-Based Violence Against Protesters Needs Immediate Investigation

Amnesty International has documented widespread reports of police using sexist insults, threats of sexual violence, and degrading strip searches against women protesters in Georgia, highlighting a disturbing pattern of abuse and impunity for law enforcement agencies. Protests in the country, sparked by a surge of pro-European and anti-government sentiment, have been met with violent physical attacks, arbitrary detention, and humiliation by police. Despite this, women in Georgia have shown remarkable resilience, denouncing the abuse, demanding justice, and turning repression into resistance and defiance.

Key Takeaways:

• Amnesty International has documented 17 cases of women protesters subjected to sexist insults, threats of sexual violence, and degrading strip searches by police in Georgia.
• Women protesters have faced an array of human rights abuses, including full undressing during searches, which is prohibited under Georgian law and international human rights law.
• Opposition leader Elene Khoshtaria described being violently restrained by police, stripped, and forced to lie naked on the floor during detention on 28 March 2025, despite having a medical condition.
• The use of sexist insults and threats of sexual violence against women protesters appears to be increasing, with police officers calling women protesters "whores" and threatening them and their family members.
• Human rights defenders highlight that many victims of humiliating treatment by police remain silent out of fear or shame, with some victims even being forced to strip naked in front of family members or friends.
• The Georgian authorities must immediately end all forms of gender-based reprisals, investigate every allegation of abuse during the protests, and ensure accountability at all levels.

Statistics:

• 17 cases of women protesters subjected to sexist insults, threats of sexual violence, and degrading strip searches by police in Georgia (Amnesty International).
• 6 out of 10 women protesters who reported experiencing human rights abuses were subjected to full or partial undressing during searches (Amnesty International).
• 4 of the 17 women protesters were subjected to verbal abuse, including being called "whores" and threatened with rape by masked officers (Amnesty International).
• 2 women protesters were ambushed by an unknown assailant while returning home from a protest and sprayed with pepper spray and green paint, resulting in injuries (Amnesty International).

Sources:

• Amnesty International - "Georgia: Police use sexist insults, threats, and degrading strip searches to intimidate protesters" (exact source used as reference).
• Amnesty International - "How are police in Georgia treating women who are protesting? They're using sexist insults and threats to try to intimidate them" (exact source used as reference).
• Amnesty International - "Georgia: Detention centre authorities prohibited opposition leader Elene Khoshtaria from receiving her medication, and she was subjected to invasive and degrading strip searches" (exact source used as reference).