Most of the detainees at Tbilisi rallies released, gov’t says
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Thursday, June 27
The Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office says that 51 individuals, who were detained during the July 20 rally in Tbilisi, have been released.
In total 305 individuals were detained during the protests which were sparked by the presence of Russian MPs in the Georgian parliament from an occupant country and an address made by one of the MPs, Sergei Gavrilov, from the seat of Georgian parliamentary speaker.
The MPs were forced to leave the country and the Georgian opposition urged people to protest the development in the parliament on the Rustaveli Avenue in central Tbilisi.
The rally was dispersed after the demonstrators tried to storm the parliament building, leaving 240 injured, with several young people losing their eye due to rubber bullets.
121 from the 305 detained were sentenced to administrative punishment.
After the appeal of the Prosecutor’s Office, 51 were released on Tuesday by Tbilisi City Court.
“As of now 54 individuals remain in custody for disobedience to police and hooliganism, “the Prosecutor’s Office says.
Demonstrators on Rustaveli have been demanding the dismissal of Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia, Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze, snap parliamentary elections with the proportional electoral system and the release of people detained during the rally.
The Georgian Dream has met one demand fully – the resignation of Kobakhidze, and two demands partially – the 2020 parliamentary elections will be held with the proportional voting system and many of the detainees were released.
Rallies continue as Gakharia must also resign, the opposition says.
On June 25 the Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office charged the United National Movement opposition MP Nika Melia with organising violence by a group, heading the group and participation in the violence during the rally.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze stated commenting the charge that the “destructive and irresponsible” calls and appeals by the opposition transformed “a peaceful and fair” rally in Tbilisi into confrontation and the opposition members are responsible for the violent events.
The opposition says that the full responsibility is on the Georgian Dream government, “which allowed the MPs [to attend the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy] in the country and parliament and then shot their citizens during the anti-Russian occupation rally.”
