TBILISI, DFWatch–A group of teenagers from Gali district are stuck on the breakaway Abkhazia side of Enguri bridge after Sokhumi closed the sole passage in the wake of anti-Russian, anti-government rallies in Tbilisi. The students are trying to get to Georgia proper in order to take part in the Unified National Entrance Exams, which are … Read more
TBILISI, DFWatch–Members of the separatist parliament in Sokhumi are demanding criminal action against Georgian MP Akaki Bobokhidze for an angry outburst during a brawl last week during an inter-parliamentary assembly. Bobokhidze, who represents European Georgia, scolded a member of the Russian Duma who was chairing the assembly. “We were killing you in Abkhazia and will … Read more
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, 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
“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
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
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
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
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
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