Police Detain 13 During Solidarity Rally
The Interior Ministry said it had detained 13 people on administrative charges during a November 19 night rally in Tbilisi, held in solidarity with convicted protester Mate Devidze on the anniversary of his arrest.
The Interior Ministry said the detained individuals “did not comply with police officers’ lawful orders and verbally abused law enforcement representatives while they were performing their duties.”
Protesters marched from Tbilisi State University to Parliament, with police following them and preventing them from blocking traffic. Officers were seen detaining people in narrow streets as tensions flared occasionally. Among those arrested was Ketevan Khuskivadze, a lecturer at Tbilisi State University.
The march was held in solidarity with Mate Devidze, 21, who was sentenced in June to four and a half years in prison for “assaulting police” after being detained on November 19, 2024, during the post-election protests.
“We call on citizens to refrain from committing unlawful acts; otherwise, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will act within its lawful mandate, identify all offenders, and take measures defined by law,” the ministry said.
Protests in Georgia are approaching one year since Georgian Dream, on November 28, 2024, announced a halt to the country’s EU accession process. Citizens blocked Tbilisi’s main Rustaveli Avenue near Parliament for more than 330 days, until Georgian Dream again toughened the law to make blocking streets to traffic immediately punishable by imprisonment. Police have recently prevented protesters from blocking the avenue, though nightly demonstrations continue on nearby streets with regular, vibrant marches.
Also Read:
- 01/11/2025 – Protester Faces Up to One Year in Jail After Police Arrests Him for ‘Repeat Road-Blocking’
- 01/11/2025 – MIA: 29 Detained in Five Days For Blocking Rustaveli Avenue
- 16/10/2025 – Georgian Dream Adopts Harsher Penalties For Protest Offenses