Vazha Gaprindashvili's supporters gather near occupation line to protest his illegal detention
By Nika Gamtsemlidze
Monday, December 16
Family members and supporters of Vazha Gaprindashvili gathered near the occupation line in the village of Odzisi to protest the illegal detention of the doctor, who was sentenced to two months imprisonment. Representatives of various political forces and civil activists joined the rally.
The family demands more action from the government, while also saying that they want to meet the Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Gakharia.
“We have to think about every word and phrase we say that expresses our support, whether here or in Tbilisi, as any might turn against Vazha Gaprindashvili,” said the wife of Gaprindashvili, Tamila Lapanashvili.
She thanked everyone involved in the rally and asked them to make cautious statements before Gaprindashvili is released.
The family released a white coat attached to white balloons to state that doctors' activities have no limits.
“With our little performance we want to release white coat and show that doctors have no boundaries, neither during peace nor during the war,” noted Lapanashvili.
A few days ago, Tbilisi Sakrebulo Member of Georgian Dream, Erekle Kukhianidze blamed Doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili's family for provocation and called them 'idiots.'
His statements were followed by mass criticism, though the family decided not to comment on this, as their only goal is to ‘free Gaprindashvili.’
Many people demanded the resignation of Kukhianidze. As Aleko Elisashvili, the leader of the Civil Movement noted, Kukhianidze has no moral right to stay in a high position of Tbilisi Sakrebulo.
According to the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Archil Talakvadze, his only position is that Gaprindashvili should be released as soon as possible, ‘no other position can be agreed by the government.’
He said that the illegal detention of Vazha Gaprindashvili once again showed that "the attitude of the Russian Federation and the occupation regime to human values is completely unacceptable."
The Vice Prime Minister, Maia Tskitishvili thinks that ‘the emotions got the best of Kukhianidze.’
“I cannot agree with Kukhianidze's statement, unfortunately, he was probably overwhelmed by emotions and made false comments,” noted Tskitishvili.
The occupation forces arrested the doctor on November 9. He was detained for crossing the so-called border. Vazha Gaprindashvili went to the occupied territory to help a sick woman who could not come to Tbilisi for treatment. A 60-year-old woman from the occupied Akhalgori fell into a well and was injured but was not transferred to Tbilisi because of the so-called occupation regime had closed the checkpoint.
