The Daily Beat: 17 February
The clinical director of Vivamedi, Zurab Chkhaidze, has urged the family and legal representatives of Mzia Amaghlobeli, the director of Batumelebi/Netgazeti, to persuade her to comply with medical recommendations and end her hunger strike to prevent a potentially fatal outcome. Chkhaidze expressed concern for Amaghlobeli’s health, emphasizing that strict adherence to medical guidance is essential. Amaghlobeli has been on a hunger strike for 37 days.
On the 82nd day of anti-regime rallies, protesters gathered outside the Public Broadcaster and later marched towards Rustaveli Avenue. As usual, protesters are chanting slogans such as “Freedom for the regime’s prisoners,” “Hellfire to oligarchy,” “Rise up, Georgia,” and “No Justice, no Peace.” They are expressing solidarity for all individuals detained during the protests, calling for their release and the announcement of new elections. For more updates on the Georgian resistance, follow our live blog.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the leader of the GD’s parliamentary majority of the Georgian Dream party, announced that the Georgian Criminal Code would be amended to state the article on treason, which he claimed was previously removed from the Code by the UNM’s government in April 2007. Mdinaradze also outlined several legislative initiatives expected to be introduced in the GD parliament this week, including the American “FARA” law and a new law on media.
The opposition party Gakharia for Georgia reported that its leader, Giorgi Gakharia, along with party member Elguja Khokrishvili, who is Georgia’s former ambassador to Germany, were attacked upon their return from the Munich Security Conference in the early hours of February 17. According to the party, a group affiliated with the ruling GD party confronted them at Tbilisi International Airport while law enforcement allegedly failed to intervene.
Viktor Japaridze, a key figure from the pseudo-opposition and anti-Western People’s Power party, was appointed Deputy Chair of the Defense and Security Committee of the Georgian Dream (GD) parliament. According to the press release, Japaridze’s nomination was put forward by People’s Power and unanimously supported by the committee members. Japaridze’s appointment comes amid a deepening political crisis in the country following the suspension of 49 opposition MPs from three political alliances.
A second round of presidential elections in Russian-occupied Abkhazia is scheduled for March 1. The top two candidates, Badra Gunba and Adgur Ardzinba will compete for the de facto presidency. In the initial round held on February 15, neither candidate received the required 50 percent of the votes to win outright. According to the Central Election Commission of Abkhazia, Gunba received 46.38% percent of the votes, while Ardzinba garnered 36.92%.