21:58, 18 August 2025

Pro-European protests in Georgia continue for 264 days straight

Protesters outside the parliament building. Photo: NEWS.On.ge

Activists blocked traffic on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi on the 264th day of continuous protests. Relatives of political prisoners visited Akhmeta and Telavi today, where daily rallies in support of Georgia's European integration are also taking place.

As "Caucasian Knot" wrote, protesters in Tbilisi have been holding daily rallies at the Georgian Parliament since November 28, 2024, and blocking traffic on Rustaveli Avenue, demanding the release of all arrested supporters of European integration and the appointment of new parliamentary elections. On August 17, the 263rd day, relatives of political prisoners distributed newspapers with their letters in Kakheti.

On August 16, the 262nd day of continuous protests, it became known that two activists, Tornike Toshkhua and Mindia Shervashidze, had been detained on charges of group violence. The charges relate to the protest on Rustaveli Avenue on August 1: according to protesters, a knife fell out of the pocket of provocateur Beka Gotsiridze, who had come to the protest and was arguing with activists. Tornike Toshkhua and Mindia Shervashidze then took the knife from him and handed it over to the police. Both were detained on Gotsiridze's complaint.

Pro-European protesters today, on the 264th day of continuous protests, once again blocked traffic on Rustaveli Avenue near the parliament building in Tbilisi. The protesters' demands remain unchanged - they are seeking new parliamentary elections and the release of all those arrested for participating in the protests, Publika reports.

The Tbilisi City Court today ruled to remand Tornike Toshkhua and Mindia Shervashidze, who were detained on August 16, into custody. According to the prosecutor, the accused, along with some unidentified persons, caused bodily harm to Georgian Dream activist Beka Gotsiridze. The charges brought against Toshkhua and Shervashidze carry a maximum sentence of two years in prison; the next court hearing in their case will be held on October 6, NEWS.On.ge reports.

The day before, on August 17, two more activists, Zura Menteshashvili and Lado Berozashvili, one of them disabled, were detained at a rally near the parliament. The police did not detain them on the roadway; both were charged under administrative articles on petty hooliganism and failure to comply with police orders.

Relatives of political prisoners arrived today in the city of Akhmeta in eastern Georgia to meet with local residents and distribute a newspaper with letters from the arrested activists among them. They are accompanied by a resident of the Pankisi Gorge, activist Malkhaz Machalikashvili, whose 19-year-old son was killed by security forces during a special operation at the end of 2017. They also plan to visit Telavi today, where daily, albeit small, protests are also taking place - from two to ten people “do not miss a day, regardless of the weather, holidays and other circumstances,” Tbilisi_life reports.

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Translated automatically via Google translate from https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/413925