Protesters Rounded Up, Taken to Custody as Stricter Rally Laws Take Effect
Over a dozen Rustaveli Avenue protesters were taken into custody by police on October 19, two days after stricter protest laws took effect, introducing detention for rally-related offenses, including blocking roads and covering faces.
According to the Interior Ministry, 27 “offenders” were identified in connection with the October 18 rally at the parliament, 14 of whom have been taken into custody, while administrative proceedings are underway against the remaining 13, who are expected to face court hearings in the coming days.
“Should these persons repeat similar acts, they will face criminal responsibility,” Deputy Georgian Dream Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze warned during the October 19 briefing.
The detentions follow the October 18 rally, during which protesters briefly blocked Tbilisi’s Rustaveli Avenue near the parliament before reopening it at police orders; the police said the demonstrators, “despite small numbers, artificially blocked the roadway and disrupted traffic,” and warned that failure to comply would lead to identifying “each offender” and taking legally defined measures against them.
The street was blocked again later in the evening as more demonstrators joined the rally. Afterwards, police were seen stopping people in nearby areas for checks and seizing face masks, allegedly used to cover faces during protests. The following day, a growing number of protesters reported being taken to custody, including prominent journalist and anchor Vakho Sanaia.
Among other reported detainees are protesters and activists, including Nino Svanidze, Lara Nachkebia, Levan Margiani, Levan Jobava, Saba Khomeriki, Vakho Machavariani, Davit Gogichaishvili, Shalva Chubinidze, Tornike Tkhilava, and Lasha Chkhartishvili.
One of them, Tornike Tkhilava, was reportedly released by the court with a verbal warning, while decisions on the other detainees are still pending.
The roundups come after Georgian Dream parliament fast-tracked amendments last week that replace heavy fines for covering faces, carrying pyrotechnics or intoxicants, and blocking roads with up to 15 days’ administrative detention, and impose up to a year in prison for repeat offenses.
The laws followed warnings by Georgian Dream officials to end the daily rallies at the parliament, which have continued non-stop for more than 320 days since the ruling party’s November 28, 2024 announcement to halt EU integration. Protesters have blocked Tbilisi’s Rustaveli Avenue every evening as an act symbolizing continued resistance.
Watchdogs condemned the stricter measures, arguing that they were designed to ban peaceful demonstrations and criminalize protests.
Note: the article was updated on October 19, at 18:21, to include the remarks from the Interior Ministry briefing.
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