Saturday, April 18, 2026

DFWatch staff

Russian Duma member evacuated from Tbilisi hotel amid angry protests after he presides over debate in Georgia's parliament building

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TBILISI, DFWatch–A Russian parliament member was evacuated from the Radisson Blue hotel in Tbilisi after a group of opposition protesters confronted him Thursday evening. Sergey Gavrilov, a member of Russia’s Communist Party, and his colleagues were rushed from the hotel to Tbilisi airport, Georgian media reports. Gavrilov insists “radicals” poured water on him and tried … Read more

Tbilisi Pride to go ahead, despite threats from radicals

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TBILISI, DFWatch–After much deliberation, the organizers of Tbilisi Pride have decided to go ahead with the first Pride parade in Georgia, according to  a statement released on Facebook Tuesday. “Despite existing risks, the first march of dignity in the history of Georgia is in force and we are not going to cancel it. Our supporting … Read more

DOS statement on events surrounding Tbilisi Pride

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“The United States will continue to urge Georgian authorities to protect all citizens regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity,” US Department of State spokesperson has said commenting recent developments in Georgia relating to Tbilisi Pride. The text of short statement was provided by Voice of America’s Georgian Service. “The United States is deeply concerned … Read more

A critic of Azerbaijan government detained in Georgia, face extradition

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The police in Georgia detained Azerbaijan’s opposition activist Avtandil Mammadov on the request of Baku on Monday and he may face extradition to his home country. Mammadov was arrested in Marneuli, a town inhabited largely by ethnic Azerbaijanis, 35 km east from Tbilisi, radio Marneuli reports based on the information provided by Mammadov’s family and … Read more

Georgian ultra-conservative millionaire plans to unleash vigilante patrols against Tbilisi Pride

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TBILISI, DFWatch–An ultra-conservative Georgian millionaire vows to set up vigilante patrols on the streets of Tbilisi to prevent LGBT rights activists from holding a planned pride march. “We’ll establish people’s squadrons. […]  Among the crowd gathered here there are a lot of individuals with military experience, a lot of athletes, rugby players, and wrestlers,” Levan … Read more

Nine detained in Tbilisi as conservatives and LGBT rights campaigners clash

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TBILISI, DFWatch–At least nine people were detained by police in Tbilisi at as defenders of LGBT rights clashed with conservatives on Friday. The police had to set up barriers between the two groups of protesters in order to avoid a physical confrontation. The LGBT activists gathered at the government building Friday evening to protest its … Read more

France concerned over rise in asylum applications by Georgian citizens

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TBILISI, DFWatch–Authorities in France are concerned over a sharp increase in asylum requests by Georgian and Albanian citizens, according to the influential French daily newspaper Le Figaro. The paper based its report on information from the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA). In the first four months of 2019, asylum … Read more

Support rally in Tbilisi for jailed Russian journalist Ivan Golunov

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TBILISI, DFWatch–Journalists and civic activists gathered in front of Russia’s diplomatic representation in Tbilisi on Saturday to protest the prosecution of  Russian investigative journalist Ivan Golunov. “Even though we are not in Russia, but in Georgia, we decided that we can and must do something[…] The repressive measures that have been taken recently in Russia, … Read more

South Ossetia's ruling party sheds 10% in elections for separatist parliament

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TBILISI, DFWatch–The ruling party in breakaway South Ossetia looked set to win the elections for de facto parliament with 35 percent of votes after 95 percent of votes had been counted Monday evening. But United Ossetia’s margin of victory is well below the last election, in 2014, when it garnered almost 45 percent. The opposition … Read more

Sokhumi claims opposition leader's illness due to food intoxication, not deliberate poisoning

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TBILISI, DFWatch–Abkhazia’s breakaway authorities claim opposition leader Aslan Bzhania’s sudden illness is due to ordinary food intoxication, not deliberate poisoning. Sokhumi thus rejects conclusions by a laboratory in Munich, which found earlier that samples from the leading opposition contender contained high levels of lead and cadmium. De facto deputy prosecutor general, Epshsou Kakulia, told the … Read more