TBILISI, October 24 – For the 311th straight day, protesters gathered outside Georgia’s parliament on Rustaveli Avenue, demanding new elections and the release of people detained during previous demonstrations. What began as a small rally on the sidewalk Friday escalated after part of the crowd moved onto the main roadway, blocking traffic along one of … Read more
TBILISI, October 24 – Former Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has been formally charged with large-scale money laundering. According to prosecutors, Garibashvili is accused under Article 194 of Georgia’s Criminal Code of legalizing illicit income involving particularly large sums. Prosecutors said he pleaded guilty to the charges, though the former premier has not yet commented … Read more
TBILISI, October 22 – Georgian police detained twelve demonstrators in the capital during the past 24 hours for violating public assembly laws, as protests continue outside the parliament building on Rustaveli Avenue despite mounting restrictions. According to a statement from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, protesters “continued to engage in unlawful actions” by blocking traffic … Read more
TBILISI, October 20 – The opposition party For Georgia (“sakartvelostvis”) said on Monday it will end its year-long boycott of the legislature, switching sides among a deeply divided opposition. With party founder Giorgi Gakharia currently in exile, the dramatic switchover was announced at a press briefing by a deputy leader, Giorgi Sharashidze, and means the … Read more
TBILISI, October 19 – A senior Georgian Orthodox bishop has publicly criticized the government’s handling of the recent nationwide searches targeting former high-ranking officials, comparing the approach to the methods used by the Bolsheviks in the early 20th century. In a post published Saturday on social media, Metropolitan Anton of Vani and Baghdati said he … Read more
TBILISI, October 18 – Georgia’s political scene was thrown into turmoil on Friday after law enforcement agencies carried out simultaneous searches at 22 locations across the country, including the homes of former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, former State Security Service head Grigol Liluashvili, and former Chief Prosecutor Otar Partskhaladze. According to the Ministry of Internal … Read more
TBILISI, October 15 – Georgia’s parliament opened debate Wednesday on a government-backed bill that would sharply increase penalties for unauthorized protests, introducing the harshest restrictions on street demonstrations in years. The proposal is part of a set of three legislative packages now being reviewed under an accelerated procedure. Under the new draft, people taking part … Read more
TBILISI, October 14 – Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday defended the government’s controversial new legislation aimed at curbing unapproved street protests and warned against what he called “radical” opposition forces. Kobakhidze said the government is finalizing a constitutional lawsuit that will target political parties he accused of “destructive” activity. “Our country needs calm … Read more
TBILISI, October 13 – Several thousand people rallied in the Georgian capital Sunday evening under the slogan “You can’t cage Georgia,” demanding new elections and the release of dozens detainees in the wake of the violence on October 4. The rally began in Vake Park and moved toward the parliament building on Rustaveli Avenue, where … Read more
TBILISI, October 11 – Tbilisi City Court has spent the week holding tense hearings that ended Friday with doctors rallying in downtown Tbilisi, as international criticism mounts over the aftermath of the October 4 unrest. On Friday, Georgia’s capital saw two marathon court sessions, with judges sending another dozen defendants into pre-trial detention over the … Read more