TBILISI, August 2 – Demonstrators gathered in Batumi over the weekend to demand the release of several individuals detained during recent opposition protests.
The march, involving opposition party members, NGO representatives, and civic activists, ended outside the regional government building of Adjara, where daily demonstrations have continued for months.
Participants expressed solidarity with those detained in both Batumi and Tbilisi, including family members of editor Mzia Amaghlobeli, who is on trial for slapping a police chief during a protest. The verdict was expected Friday, but the case has been extended into next week.
Protesters also visited the offices of independent media outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti, voicing support for their staff and criticizing what they describe as politically motivated repression.
They accuse the Georgian Dream (GD) government of being Russian puppets and suppressing domestic dissent. Slogans at the rally included calls for “freedom for the regime’s hostages” and rejection of what they label an “illegitimate government.”
