The Daily Beat: 5 May
On the 159th day of anti-GD demonstrations, protesters gathered near the Parliament building in Tbilisi, again blocking the traffic on Rustaveli Avenue. Earlier in the day, mothers of those detained during the anti-regime protests, alongside several female politicians, gathered outside the Tbilisi City Court, holding banners bearing the names of individuals who are unlawfully imprisoned. For more updates, don’t forget to follow our live blog on the Georgian resistance.
The Georgian Dream government has proposed a bill to amend the Law on Diplomatic Service, allowing for the early recall of diplomats who violate ethical standards or oppose the government’s foreign policy. This move follows reports of a planned reorganization of the Foreign Ministry amid concerns of politically motivated dismissals targeting pro-EU diplomats.
The editorial team of the long-running Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) show “Real Space” has declined the transfer offer to different programs and departments within GPB. They stated that accepting this offer would imply a voluntary endorsement of the show’s closure. The team expressed that they no longer have the opportunity to “bring truth to the viewers on this channel” and have decided to leave GPB.
A 46-year-old man, Ioseb Gorgadze, died after three months of treatment at the Vivamedi clinic, where he was transferred from prison in late January with multiple injuries. His lawyer claims that the prisoner was “severely beaten” in custody and alleges abuse by prison staff. Authorities have dismissed the allegations as “political manipulation” of a “human tragedy” and claim no violence took place.
The European Commission has urged the Georgian government to change its current course by ending violence against citizens, repealing repressive laws, and engaging in dialogue with political actors. This call was made in a written response published by Euroscope, following an inquiry to the Commission’s press service about comments made by European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos. She indicated that future dialogue with the ruling Georgian Dream party is still a possibility.