Thousands of people took to the streets of Tbilisi to mark the anniversary of Gavrilov's Night.
Participants in a march in Tbilisi dedicated to the seventh anniversary of the dispersal of "Gavrilov's Night" demanded the release of prisoners of conscience.
As "Caucasian Knot" reported, on June 18, the 568th day of continuous protests, activists in Tbilisi demanded the release of political prisoners. Many of the participants in the rally on Rustaveli Avenue dedicated their posters to the leader of the Droa party, Elena Khoshtaria. On the 569th day of continuous protests, protesters condemned the harsh sentence given to pediatrician, Professor Giorgi Chakhunashvili. Along with Chakhunashvili, five other people were sentenced to long prison terms in the case of the storming of the Georgian presidential administration building on October 4.
In June 2019, security forces dispersed protesters outside the Georgian Parliament building using tear gas and rubber bullets. According to the Ministry of Health, 240 people were hospitalized. The protests began after Russian MP Sergei Gavrilov sat in the speaker's chair during a session of the Parliamentary Assembly in the Georgian Parliament building. The ECHR found violations of the prohibition of torture during the dispersal of the protest on "Gavrilov's night" and ordered the Georgian authorities to pay 26 applicants compensation ranging from 1,800 to 15,000 euros. The court also ordered an investigation and the identification of those responsible for the dispersal of the peaceful protest.
A weekly march took place from the Philharmonic building to the Georgian Parliament. Today's march is dedicated to the seventh anniversary of the so-called "Gavrilov Night" and is held under the slogan: "We remember Gavrilov Night."
Participants brought banners with various messages, as well as the flags of Georgia, Ukraine, the United States, and the European Union.
The march, on the 570th day of daily protests, attracted thousands of people, according to a video posted on the page of photographer Giorgi Mosiashvili (Mo Se).
Participants chanted slogans, including: "We remember June 20th! "Freedom for prisoners of conscience!" RusNews writes.
Georgia's fifth president, Salome Zurabishvili, joined the march, along with members of political parties, activists, and citizens.
Citizens chant the name of Elene Khoshtaria, who is in prison, and demand the release of the Droa leader, TV Pirveli reports.
"Gavrilov's Night" clearly demonstrated that Georgia's greatest authority and conscience are its citizens. June 20th is a clear example that Georgia's future is determined by the unity of the Georgian people. We want a Georgia that is democratic, fair, and united. A Georgia that is a full-fledged part of the free world, has strong friends, and gives its citizens the opportunity to live with dignity. Building such a Georgia requires our constant efforts. We remember those who suffered that night, the people whose eyes were pierced by Ivanishvili's rubber bullets. We remember those who stood firm on Rustaveli for a better future for Georgia. "And we believe that the victory of the Georgian people is inevitable," Publika quotes the march organizers as saying.
Protesters in Georgia have been demanding new parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners since November 28, 2024. Security forces carried out violent dispersals of the protests, using tear gas and water cannons, and detained protesters. Thousands of people were subjected to administrative prosecution during the protests. "Caucasian Knot" has prepared a report "The Main Thing About the Persecution of Protesters in Georgia".
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