U.S. Calls for Probe into May 26 Events
Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 28 May.'11 / 04:56

The U.S. has called on Georgia to investigate incidents during the break up of the protest rally outside the Parliament in which at least two people died.

"We believe that the rights to peacefully express the aspirations of the citizens of Georgia, as in any country, should be respected. And we would call on a government investigation into the incidents of the last several days in which several people were killed," Mark C. Toner, the U.S. Department of State spokesman, said at a news briefing on May 27 when asked about the recent developments in Tbilisi.

U.S. Ambassador to Georgia, John Bass, said hours after the dispersal of the rally on May 26, that he was concerned by reports that there was “potentially an excessive force” used by individual police officer.

“I think it is important for the government to investigate these allegations seriously,” he told journalists after attending a military parade marking Independence Day on Rustaveli Avenue, where about eleven hours before the rally was dispersed.

Echoing his May 25 remarks, Bass again reiterated that it was also important to remember, that “there were clearly a number of people included in that protest, who were not interested in peacefully protesting, but were looking to spark a violent confrontation.”

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