TBILISI, December 4 – Supporters of jailed opposition politician Levan Khabeishvili rallied outside Georgia’s State Security Service in Tbilisi on Thursday, accusing the authorities of holding him behind bars because of his political comments. Some were activists from the United National Movement (UNM), others, family members and friends. They were gathered to protest what they … Read more
TBILISI, November 24 – Georgia’s Interior Ministry is pushing ahead with a sweeping plan to tighten civilian access to pepper spray, electric shock devices and blank-firing “acoustic” guns. Critics warn it will restrict options for protesters. The proposal, first unveiled on 17 November and now moving through parliamentary committee hearings, would require state permits for … Read more
TBILISI, November 24 – A deadly construction accident on one of Georgia’s largest infrastructure projects has left four workers dead and one in critical condition after a mass of earth collapsed at a work site near the village of Tskere. The incident occurred during the installation of a retaining wall on the Kvesheti-Kobi road, a … Read more
TBILISI, November 20 – Georgia’s Public Defender says overcrowding and basic conditions in the country’s largest jail remain a serious problem. In a statement on Thursday, the Public Defender’s Office said its National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) regularly visits Prison No 8 in Gldani, northern Tbilisi, and other facilities and has already carried out 114 inspection … Read more
TBILISI, November 20 – Dozens of supporters of Levan Khabeishvili, the jailed chairman of the United National Movement’s political council, gathered outside Georgia’s Prosecutor General’s Office on Thursday, demanding that restrictions on his communication with family members be lifted. Khabeishvili, who is being held in pre-trial detention, currently faces limits on visitation, phone calls and … Read more
TBILISI, November 19 – Georgia’s Foreign Ministry sharply criticized Brussels on Wednesday after the European Union postponed a scheduled human rights dialogue that Tbilisi had viewed as one of the few remaining openings for direct engagement. The meeting was set to take place this Friday, November 21, in Brussels. According to the Georgian side, the … Read more
TBILISI, November 11 – A Turkish military cargo aircraft crashed in eastern Georgia on Tuesday morning, close to the border with Azerbaijan, according to officials in Tbilisi and Ankara. Georgia’s Interior Ministry confirmed that the plane, a Turkish Air Force C-130 Hercules, went down roughly five kilometers inside Georgian territory in the Sighnaghi municipality. The … Read more
TBILISI, November 9 – Anti-government protesters returned to Georgia’s parliament building late Sunday following a march through central Tbilisi that saw brief confrontations with police over access to the main avenue. Demonstrators, many chanting “No to Russia,” “Georgia, rise up,” and “Freedom for political prisoners,” demanded new parliamentary elections and the release of people detained … Read more
TBILISI, November 8 – Protesters gathered outside Georgia’s parliament Friday for another night of anti-government demonstrations, over a year since the disputed parliamentary elections. Police blocked both sides of Rustaveli Avenue, forming tight cordons to prevent marchers from spilling onto the main road. Chanting “Down with the Russian regime” and “Slaves, slaves,” demonstrators circled the … Read more
TBILISI, November 6 – Protesters again gathered in central Tbilisi on Thursday evening, marching between parliament and the government building amid heavy police presence. Demonstrators demanded new elections and the release of detainees but were prevented from blocking Rustaveli Avenue and nearby streets by the intervention of law enforcement. Police detained one participant after protesters … Read more