Category: News - Page 84

Activists claim police are planting drugs on government critics

March 23, 2017 by DFWatch staff

TBILISI, DFWatch–The daughter of the president of Georgia claims police framed her friend because he has been involved in political work for the president. It used to be an oft-heard story during the Saakashvili presidency: regime critics who are set up by police planting drugs in their pocket. But now activists raise the alarm and say police are … Read more

11-year-old girl killed by car in Tbilisi

March 22, 2017 by DFWatch staff

TBILISI, DFWatch–An 11 year old girl was killed in a car crash on the outskirts of Tbilisi on Tuesday.

The tragic accident occurred in the morning hours Tuesday on Aghmashenebeli Lane on the northern outskirts of the city.

The car, presumably a BMW,

Eight more detained as blame game continues after 'parking fine riot'

March 19, 2017 by DFWatch staff

Blant continues to be shifted after a riot outside the police station in Batumi March 11, 2017. — (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Police detained eight more people on criminal charges on Saturday as the blame game continues for last weekend’s violent riot in Batumi.

Altogether, the number of detainees has now reached 100, all of them men, the local newspaper Batumelebi reports.

Hungarian tourist killed by avalanche in Georgia

March 18, 2017 by DFWatch staff

A screenshot from Imedi TV showing the tracks where the victim skied along with a group of tourists near Gudauri.

TBILISI, DFWatch–A Hungarian tourist died in an avalanche in Georgia on Friday while skiing near Gudauri, a mountain resort north of Tbilisi.

Authorities did not identity the victim beyond describing him as a man aged around 40.

The accident occurred when a group of tourists

Six more arrests in wake of Batumi 'parking fine riot'

March 17, 2017 by DFWatch staff

TBILISI, DFWatch–Police in Georgia arrested six more people on Thursday who are suspected of having been involved in a riot in the Black Sea city Batumi last weekend that started with a disagreement over a parking fine.

The six are expected to appear in court on Friday.

Two drug arrests of UNM-linked youth raise calls of politicized justice

March 16, 2017 by DFWatch staff

TBILISI, DFWatch–Two young men related to government critics were arrested in Tbilisi on Tuesday on drug charges. Their mothers think it was politically motivated.

One of the detainees is the son of Khatia Dekanoidze, a justice specialist who introduced Georgian experience with police reforms to Ukraine

Rioters will be strictly punished, Georgia's interior minister warns

March 13, 2017 by DFWatch staff

Clean up work after Batumi riot — Clean up work after a riot Saturday night and Sunday morning in Batumi. (Interpressnews.)

Those responsible will be strictly punished, Interior Minister Giorgi Mgebrishvili warned. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Most who were detained in a riot in Batumi, Georgia have now been released, but the interior minister warned that they will be strictly punished.

Seven people are still incarcerated after a court placed them in preliminary administrative detention,

Government and opposition trade accusations over Batumi riot

March 12, 2017 by DFWatch staff

kvirikashvili-pataradze-ermapovi — From left to right: Batumi Mayor Giorgi Ermakov, PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili and head of the Adjara government Zurab Pataradze in Batumi on Sunday. (Interpressnews).

TBILISI, DFWatch–The government and the largest opposition party in Georgia are blaming each other for being behind a riot that shook the Black Sea resort city Batumi last night, injuring dozens and leaving the burgeoning tourist destination in disarray.

A special unit

PM Kvirikashvili blames ‘destructive political forces' for Batumi riot

March 12, 2017 by DFWatch staff

burning_car_batumi — Sporadic rioting continued into the night in Batumi, a port city on Georgia’s Black Sea coast. (Batumelebi.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–“A common incident has been utilized by destructive political forces to escalate the situation,” Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili stated at an emergency briefing at about 5 am on Sunday appealing the crowd in Batumi to calm down.

“Unfortunately, those forces

Around 20 police and protesters injured in riot over parking fine in Georgia

March 12, 2017 by DFWatch staff

TBILISI, DFWatch–Around twenty police and protesters are injured after a riot broke out in Batumi, Georgia, Saturday evening over a disagreement about a parking fine.

The riot began after a man refused to accept a fine for parking in the wrong place