Participants of the continuous protests in Tbilisi expressed solidarity with Denis Kulanin.
Supporters of Georgia's Eurointegration held a protest in Tbilisi for the 643rd consecutive day, demanding that Russian citizen Denis Kulanin be allowed to voluntarily leave the country and travel to a safe state for him. Kulanin's defense reported that he is intended to be deported to Russia.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on August 31, on the 642nd day of continuous protests, participants of the rally welcomed Saba Jikia, who had been released from prison and joined the action.
Citizens demanding the release of political prisoners, the abolition of repressive mechanisms, and the holding of elections in a free and fair environment gathered again on the 643rd day of continuous protests in front of the Parliament building and Tbilisi City Council, reports Publika.
Participants of the rally held flags of Georgia, the European Union, Ukraine, and the USA. Some participants held placards: "Down with the regime of murderers", "Bidzina is Ordzhonikidze", "Send Denis Kulanin to the airport", "Freedom for Denis Kulanin", according to a publication by photographer MO SE on Facebook*.
On August 28, after Kulanin's pardon, he was placed in a deportation center. On August 29, it became known that he declared a dry hunger strike due to fears of deportation to Russia and the lack of information about the whereabouts of his foreign passport. On August 30, Kulanin ended the hunger strike after his lawyer showed him the passport. The court left him in the temporary accommodation center. This morning, a protest took place near the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia in Tbilisi, where participants expressed support for Kulanin and demanded that he be allowed to voluntarily leave the country.
On September 1, 2026, the Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia did not allow political prisoner Denis Kulanin, a citizen of Russia recently pardoned by the President of Georgia, to voluntarily leave the country and travel to a safe state for him. This was reported today by his lawyer Tsiala Ratiani on her Facebook page*.
According to the lawyer, despite the fact that the Migration Service provided the necessary documents for Kulanin's departure to a third country, he was not allowed to leave Georgia voluntarily. The Migration Service plans to deport Kulanin to the Russian Federation and has already submitted the corresponding application to the Tbilisi City Court.
"The Migration Department intends to deport Denis Kulanin to the Russian Federation, where his life will be in danger, and he will become a victim of inhumane treatment and torture. To implement this intention, the department today submitted a petition to the Tbilisi City Court for Kulanin's deportation to the Russian Federation. The court hearing will take place without an oral hearing, in the absence of the parties, which will not allow us to present our position," the lawyer wrote.
Materials about the protests against the bill "On the Transparency of Foreign Influence" are published by "Caucasian Knot" on the thematic page "Georgia: foreign agents and protests".
Participants in the protests in Georgia have been demanding new parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners since November 28, 2024. Law enforcement has conducted harsh dispersals of protests, using tear gas and water cannons, and detained protesters. During the protests, thousands of people have faced administrative prosecution. "Caucasian Knot" has prepared a report "Main points on the prosecution of protest participants in Georgia".