TBILISI, September 9 – A protest outside the campaign headquarters of ruling party candidate Kakha Kaladze erupted into violence last night, leaving at least 10 people injured. The clash broke out on Melikishvili Avenue in Tbilisi, where demonstrators gathered to denounce the Georgian Dream (GD) government. Protesters claim they were attacked by GD supporters, including … Read more
TBILISI, September 8 – Georgia’s controversial ‘sabotage’ case has widened, with prosecutors freezing the bank accounts of 12 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), up from seven when the probe first began. The groups are accused of aiding last year’s post-election protests, which spiraled into street clashes in Tbilisi. Officials now say evidence shows that some NGOs purchased … Read more
TBILISI, September 6 – Protesters marched from Melikishvili Avenue to the steps of parliament on Rustaveli Avenue last night, blocking traffic on the city’s main thoroughfare. The demonstrators are demanding two things: the release of those detained during recent rallies and assurances that upcoming parliamentary elections will be fair. The march began outside the newly … Read more
TBILISI, September 3 – Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, is weighing whether to push for a ban on the United National Movement (UNM), the party founded by former president Mikheil Saakashvili. The debate follows a lengthy parliamentary investigation led by Vice Speaker Tea Tsulukiani, which portrays the UNM era (2004–2012) as marked by abuses, mismanagement, … Read more
TBILISI, September 3 – Police have arrested a 62 year old man carrying a firearm during an anti-government protest on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the suspect was walking among the protesters carrying a firearm. Officers confiscated the weapon on the spot, and later searches at his home uncovered … Read more
TBILISI, September 2 – Police detained 23 protesters on Rustaveli Avenue Tuesday during demonstrations against a new parliamentary report on government crimes under Saakashvili (2004-2012). The Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed that all detainees were taken in on administrative charges. It urged participants to “stop attempts to gather on the roadway,” after several groups tried … Read more
TBILISI, August 31 – Protesters gathered at the rear entrance of Georgia’s parliament on Saturday, drawing citizens carrying the slogan “Georgian, therefore European”. Earlier in the day, relatives of people detained at previous demonstrations visited the European Union delegation’s office in Tbilisi, where they handed over a letter written by Zviad Tsetskhladze. Afterward, the group … Read more
TBILISI, August 30 – Authorities in Tbilisi are preparing for tense weeks ahead as a deadline set by Brussels expires tomorrow. The European Commission has given the Georgian Dream (GD) government eight demands to meet by August 31. Two are seen as non-negotiable by both sides: repealing a ban on so-called “LGBT propaganda” and scrapping … Read more
TBILISI, August 28 – The opposition in Georgia is preparing what it calls a “peaceful revolution” on October 4. The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) warns that an attempt to overthrow the government will be treated as a crime. Activists from the “Rustaveli Avenue” movement, together with Levan Khabeishvili from the United National Movement (UNM), have … Read more
TBILISI, August 28 – A number of groups in Georgia have hit back at a government decision to freeze the bank accounts of seven non-governmental organizations (NGOs), calling it a politically motivated attempt to silence dissent and drawing parallels to Russian-style repression. In a joint statement, 53 civil society and media groups declared “full support … Read more