The Minister of Internal Affairs Vakhtang Gomelauri issued a decree signed on September 30 and published on October 4, establishing territorial groups composed of police officers tasked with “detecting and preventing violations during the pre-election period and on election day.” The groups will be based within local police departments. According to the decree, the of the MIA aim is to ensure that the parliamentary elections in Georgia are conducted in a “free, safe, and peaceful environment.”
“In order to facilitate the conduct of elections in a safe and free environment, the relevant groups were instructed to ensure the adoption of appropriate measures in the operational area, [and] if necessary, to implement preventive policing measures in accordance with the Law of Georgia On Police,” reads the MIA press release.
The decree shall be in force from the date of its publication on the website, including the date on which the Central Electoral Commission issues its protocol summarizing the final results of the elections. The territorial groups must be created before October 18. According to the decree, the members of the territorial group will be:
- Director of the appropriate territorial unit of the Ministry;
- Head of the appropriate territorial unit of the Patrol Police Department of the Ministry, who will be responsible for maintaining “continuous coordination with the Ministry”;
- Representative appointed by the Head of the Central Criminal Police Department of the Ministry;
- Representative appointed by the Head of the Department of Special Tasks of the Ministry;
- Head of the appropriate territorial unit of the Security Police Department operating within the Ministry’s jurisdiction (in case of need);
- Head of the appropriate territorial division of the state subordinate institution – Emergency Management Agency.
At the same time, all police units within the Ministry, except for state sub-departmental institutions, will be placed under the operational control of the territorial group. The decree also notes that the Head of the territorial group must develop a plan of measures to ensure public order in order to fulfill the tasks specified in the decree, in case of need.
The document states, that territorial groups will be responsible for ensuring “a safe and free election environment” by planning and organizing police actions to identify potential threats and assess risks. Notably, they will also secure the transport of election materials, including ballots, at the request of the precinct election commission and ensure timely and effective responses to any violations, in line with Georgian law.
Prior to the elections, territorial groups will also be responsible for ensuring that the canvassing campaign takes place in a “peaceful and free environment” and will respond accordingly if there is a “reasonable doubt” that “violence or other violation of public safety and order is expected.”
According to the decree, a territorial group will come to the precincts in case there is a report of any type of violation of the criminal law, or the threat to public safety and order. Such types of reports will be checked for trustworthiness and correctness of the information, unless they are made by the Chair of the precinct. The necessary police units will also be sent to the area. In all cases, the officers must be wearing the appropriate uniforms.
The person who is accused of causing the misconduct will be barred from participating in the elections if his/her presence at the precincts blocks the voting process; the individuals tries to invade the polling station; the individual creates conflict provoking the violation of the law. At the same time, patrols in the vicinity of the precinct will be intensified if there will be mass gatherings or mass movements of people without conflict that may look suspicious or raise doubts about future violence in the area.
“A police officer (representative of the police) is obliged to observe the principle of political neutrality in the performance of his duties. The actions of a police officer (representative of the police force) may not be directed directly or indirectly against or in support of any political party,” concludes the decree.
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