21:58, 25 July 2025

Protests in Tbilisi continue for 240 days in a row

Akhobadze's support group at the court. Photo: NEWS.On.ge.

Activists gathered today at the Tbilisi City Court to support the arrested protester Giorgi Akhobadze. In the evening, supporters of European integration blocked Rustaveli Avenue near the parliament.

As "Kavkazsky Uzel" wrote, on July 24, on the 239th day of continuous protests, participants in the action at the Georgian Parliament called on citizens to support the families of internally displaced persons who were forcibly evicted from a dilapidated building in Tbilisi's Samgori district.

Since November 28, 2024, protesters in Tbilisi have been holding daily rallies at the Georgian Parliament and blocking traffic on Rustaveli Avenue, demanding the release of all arrested supporters of European integration and the appointment of new parliamentary elections.

Traffic along Rustaveli Avenue near the Georgian Parliament building was blocked again this evening by supporters of European integration, who have been gathering for a daily protest for 240 days in a row, Publika reports.

Earlier in the afternoon, dozens of activists gathered in the courtyard of the Tbilisi City Court to support one of those arrested in connection with participation in the protests, doctor Giorgi Akhobadze - it was expected that the court would announce his sentence today. Akhobadze's supporters were unable to attend the hearing and were waiting for news of the verdict in front of the court, but the judge decided to postpone the announcement of the verdict until July 28. Those gathered near the court held posters in support of the political prisoner, NEWS.On.ge reported.

"Kavkazsky Uzel" wrote that Akhobadze was detained on December 7 after the protest on Rustaveli Avenue, on December 10 the court remanded him in custody on charges of illegal drug trafficking. Georgy Akhobadze told his lawyer that he was walking down the street with a friend when they were stopped by patrol police. "When they handcuffed him and led him to the hood of the car, he felt the policeman put his hand in his left pocket and realized that they were trying to plant a prohibited substance on him," the lawyer reported.

Similar charges under the drug article were brought against several other protesters, including Russians Anton Chechin, Artem Gribul and Anastasia Zinovkina. On July 21, Chechin and Gribul announced a dry hunger strike in prison.

"Caucasian Knot" published a report "The Main Thing About the Persecution of Protesters in Georgia". The Caucasian Knot collected materials about the parliamentary elections and the protests that followed them on the page "Elections in Georgia-2024".

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Translated automatically via Google translate from https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/413319