Vakhtang Gomelauri announced today, May 28 that he is stepping down as Georgia’s Minister of Internal Affairs and Vice Prime Minister.
In a statement, Gomelauri did not provide a specific reason for his resignation, saying only that the decision “was not easy”. “Of course, being in high-ranking state positions for so many years is a very labor-intensive task and requires a lot of energy.” But, he said that the “calm situation” in the country made it an appropriate time to leave his post and to “ask the team to resign, which will allow me to devote more time to my family – my wife, children and my newly acquired grandchild.”
Gomelauri praised and expressed gratitude to the Georgian Dream founder and honorary chair Bidzina Ivanishvili, saying, “His trust and example gave me a special incentive to do my job conscientiously and contribute to strengthening the statehood of Georgia.”
He also thanked Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, the government team, and “each heroic police officer, firefighter, and everyone with whom I have cared for the security of our country throughout years.”
Gomelauri has held the position for more than a decade. During his tenure, Georgia’s police have faced widespread criticism for the violent dispersal of protests, particularly those against the so-called “foreign agents” law in 2023 and 2024, as well as ongoing pro-European Union demonstrations. Human rights groups have documented hundreds of cases of police brutality and torture against protesters.
Gomelauri is currently under sanctions from several countries, including the U.S., the U.K., Ukraine, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia.
The police actions both during and after detention, described as inhumane and ‘torture’, against peaceful demonstrators and media representatives have caused a huge outcry in Georgian society. The human rights watchdogs pointed out that the police participating in the dispersals have their faces covered and don’t wear any insignia, making it virtually impossible to identify the perpetrators of violations. The monitors also point to the involvement of unidentifiable “men in black” in the dispersals, who accompany the riot police and actively hunt down and beat protesters. Moreover, there have been reports and footage showing alleged coordination between the patrol police and the state-paid thugs attacking the protesters, media, and opposition.
To date, not a single law enforcement officer has been arrested for attacking, beating, and using excessive force against protesters or media representatives.
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