Dutch Parliament Backs Complaint Against Georgia

The Dutch parliament supported an initiative by MP Queen Rajkovski (VVD), under which the government should file an interstate complaint against Georgia with the European Court of Human Rights together with like-minded partners.

The initiative is based on Article 33 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which provides for the mechanism of interstate complaints.

According to Rajkovski's justification, the Georgian authorities are using repressive legislation and police violence against peaceful demonstrators. In the author's assessment, these events are part of a trend that is moving Georgia toward the Russian model.

She also points out that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe called on member states to use the interstate complaint mechanism in response to such actions. Rajkovski asks the Dutch government to act on this issue together with like-minded partners.

A call from parliament to the government does not mean that its implementation is mandatory.