The Daily Beat: 12 January
On January 10, Judge Ketevan Jachvadze of the Tbilisi City Court remanded in custody 11 individuals arrested during a pro-European rally near the Parliament in December last year. The defendants are facing charges of participating in group violence during the protests, which could result in a prison sentence of 4 to 6 years. They will remain in custody until March.
On 11 January, another Judge, Irakli Khuskivadze of the Tbilisi City Court, also ruled to remand 8 protesters in custody after an 8-hour court session, rejecting their defense lawyers’ pleas for bail. These individuals were also arrested during pro-European protests last December for participation in group violence, facing prison sentences of 4 to 6 years. Their detention was previously extended in December by the same judge.
Court rulings have further fueled anger against the regime and its judiciary, leading to protests in Tbilisi and Batumi. The phrase “Police everywhere. Justice nowhere” has emerged as a new motto for protest groups, both in courtrooms and on the streets. Mzia Amaglobeli, the founder and director of Batumlebi newspaper and its sister publication, Netgazeti, was detained along with several other activists and politicians, including Helene Khoshtaria, the leader of the Droa party.
Tensions escalated outside the “Babilo” restaurant in Tbilisi late Sunday evening, where judges were attending a corporate event. Protesters gathered outside the restaurant, including family members of those arrested during the pro-European protests, chanting “slaves” and throwing eggs at some of the judges as they left the venue under heavy police escort. Several protesters were arrested. For more updates, visit our Liveblog: Resistance.
Speaking in Zugdidi during her “regional tour,” Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili stressed the importance of preparing for potential new elections, saying preparation is essential for ensuring democratic outcomes. She also encouraged citizens dissatisfied with existing political parties to take the initiative by forming new ones.
German Bundestag’s parliamentary groups issued a statement stressing the need for a “pluralistic process” that will result in free and fair parliamentary elections. “We stand firmly by the democrats in Georgia and will continue to help Georgian civil society to lead the country back onto a democratic and European path,” the statement says.
President Salome Zurabishvili addressed the event titled “Georgia on Your Mind,” which was organized by the Hudson Institute. In her online speech, Zurabishvili discussed the ongoing political crisis in Georgia and the destructive actions of the ruling Georgian Dream party. She emphasized Georgia’s strategic importance to the West and urged the United States to continue supporting the Georgian people.
The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) condemned the politically motivated dismissal of over 50 civil servants in Georgia and plans to file a lawsuit to protect their labor rights, alongside the Independent Trade Union of Civil Servants. ISFED noted that the dismissals primarily affected those supporting the country’s European integration, warning of political persecution and discrimination.