A group to defend the values of the rose revolution in 2003 gathered in Tbilisi Friday. (DFWatch photo.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — A recently established movement called SOS on Thursday gathered to celebrate the 9 year anniversary of the Rose Revolution.

About 30 people showed up at Square of Roses, which is named after the Rose Revolution. The SOS movement was set up a week ago. Its goal is to strengthen and continue the reforms implemented in last nine years and expose human rights violations.

Rally participants brought with them red roses as a symbol of the 2003 revolution which brought the National Movement party to power under its leader Mikheil Saakashvili.

The movement, which organized the rally, claims that they do not support any political party, but is protesting events after the democratic election of October 1.

Maya Basaria, founder of the movement says that the new government, headed by Bidzina Ivanishvili, is not continuing the democratic way started by Saakashvili government.

“The major problem is political persecution, which is unacceptable for a democratic society,” she said, referring to the recent detentions of former government officials.

“But today we wanted to say that we remember November 23, 2003. It wasn’t a victory of only the leaders of the National Movement, but a victory for every single Georgian.”

Basaria also explained that more people wanted to come to Friday’s rally, but people from the regions weren’t able to come.

SOS plans to hold larger rallies, which will be more organized.

They already protested the detention of former Interior Minister Bacho Akhalaia and will continue protesting events and actions which they consider violate human rights in this country.

The Rose Revolution in November if 2003 ousted Eduard Shevardnandze’s government, and followed days of massive street protests led by the current president Mikheil Saakashvili and his party the National Movement. The revolution was led by him, and two others: Zurab Zhvania and Nino Burjanadze. The former died in 2005, and the latter is now an independent opposition politician.