Protesters have held demonstrations in Tbilisi for the 637th consecutive day.
Supporters of Georgia's Eurointegration have held protests outside the Parliament building and Tbilisi City Council for the 637th consecutive day, demanding the release of political prisoners and transparent elections. A 69-year-old active participant in the protests was arrested for 15 days for insulting police officers.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on August 25, supporters of Georgia's Eurointegration held protests outside the Parliament building and Tbilisi City Council for the 636th consecutive day, demanding the release of political prisoners and transparent elections.
Protests have been ongoing for 637 days
Today, on the 637th day of continuous protests, participants gathered again in front of the Parliament building and Tbilisi City Council. The demands of the gathered remain unchanged: returning the country to a Euro-Atlantic course, releasing political prisoners, abolishing repressive mechanisms, and conducting elections in a free and fair environment, reports Publika.
Participants held flags of Georgia, the European Union, Ukraine, and the USA. Some participants held placards: "Leave", "Freedom for the media", "Those who do not build schools build prisons", "Russia is an occupier", "Mamuka Gacerelia - a Georgian hero who is currently in Russian captivity", according to a publication by photographer MO SE on Facebook*.
The family of Georgian fighter Mamuka Gacerelia, sentenced to life in Russia for participating in combat on the side of Ukraine, has not received any information about him, reported his mother, Dali Chkheidze. In early 2024, Dali Chkheidze appealed to the Georgian government to take up her son's case and seek his release. According to the woman, during the entire time her son was in captivity and on trial, she received almost no information about him. The Georgian authorities also showed no interest in the fate of the citizen. As the mother of the captive recounted, Mamuka was allowed to call his relatives only once, the day before the court hearing where he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Protester received 15 days
On August 25, the court sentenced 69-year-old active protester Shota Odishvili to 15 days of administrative arrest for a message on his t-shirt, reports Interpressnews citing his lawyer.
Shota Odishvili did not return home after the rally on August 23. At half-past midnight, his sister received a call informing her that he had been detained administratively and transferred to a detention center in Dusheti. No explanations or reasons for his detention were provided to her.
The decision for administrative arrest was made by Tbilisi City Court judge Nino Enukidze. At the trial, the activist was defended by lawyer Giorgi Tabatadze, who stated that Odishvili faced two charges: hooliganism for the messages on his t-shirt, which stated that
"On the night of August 23, when the protest ended, Shota went up to the office building, sat there, and played on his phone. He was wearing a t-shirt, the photos of which later spread. One of the police officers approached him and asked him to go with him to the police car. Odishvili, of course, complied with his request. Then other police officers approached him one by one and said: 'Why are you insulting us?', to which the defendant replied: 'I didn't say a word, I was just sitting by myself.' They tried to provoke him by speaking to him in an aggressive tone," said Giorgi Tabatadze.
Two police witnesses were called, who claimed that he insulted them, but their testimonies contradicted each other.
According to the lawyer, the message on the t-shirt is part of the freedom of expression. As for the alleged insult to the police officer, it cannot be confirmed by any evidence, as there were no insults. "Therefore, two police witnesses were called, who claimed that he insulted them, but their testimonies contradicted each other," emphasized the lawyer.
Later, Odishvili was transferred to a detention center in Gurjaani. From activists who were already held there, it is known that the cells in this detention center are unbearably stuffy and have almost no ventilation, reported activist Tamuna Giorgadze on her Facebook* page.
Giorgadze called for help with deliveries for the arrested. "Perhaps someone is nearby and can pass him the necessary things and food. If you or your friends can help with this issue, please write to me. If no one can be found on the spot, activists from Tbilisi will have to go there every day," she wrote.
Protesters in Georgia have been demanding new parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners since November 28, 2024. Law enforcement has conducted harsh crackdowns on protests, using tear gas and water cannons, and detaining protesters. During the protests, thousands of people have faced administrative prosecution. "Caucasian Knot" has prepared a report "Main points on the persecution of protest participants in Georgia".