TBILISI, April 26 – A protest rally was held in Zugdidi, western Georgia, on Sunday under the slogan “Freedom for the regime’s prisoners,” as anti-government protests in the country continue.
The rally took place outside the regional governor’s administration building. According to Interpressnews, the main demands of the protesters were the resignation of the government, the calling of new parliamentary elections and the release of people detained during previous protests.
Marizi Kobakhidze, the mother of Tornike Goshadze, who was detained during the protests, told TV Pirveli that campaigners are starting regional meetings as May 26 approaches.
“Because May 26 is approaching, we are starting to travel in the regions. We started with Zugdidi, tomorrow we will continue. As the mother of a prisoner, I no longer think that I should necessarily demand the release of my son, because they realized that these boys are not going to admit anything and will serve their sentence. Our main demand will be that this government must definitely resign,” Kobakhidze said.
May 26 is Georgia’s Independence Day, one of the country’s main national holidays.
Nani Tsulaia, the mother of detained student Giorgi Mindadze, said she does not plan to stop taking part in rallies until the detainees are freed.
“If there is any rally, if anything is said, I must be there, because my son has been locked up for 1 year and 4 months. Until the political prisoners are outside, I will not stop either,” Tsulaia said.
Anti-government protests began after the October, 2024, parliamentary election, demanding to hold a new election and release people detained in connection with the political unrest.
