In Georgia, demonstrations were held to support those arrested during the protests.
The march under the slogan "Freedom for prisoners of conscience" began in the evening at three squares in the center of the Georgian capital, including near the state university. Participants from all three demonstrations headed towards the parliament building, where a traditional "silent action" took place without speeches.
In December of last year, protests outside the legislative building escalated into fierce clashes between demonstrators and special forces from the Ministry of Internal Affairs multiple times. Hundreds of people sustained injuries of varying severity. Over four hundred opposition members were detained under administrative protocols for resisting the police. Charges of "group violence" and damage to state property were filed against 53 activists.
In the capital of Adjara, Batumi, the protest march took place outside the Batumelebi editorial office, where the publisher and editor, Mzia Amaglobeli, was arrested on charges of assaulting the local police chief.
Protest participants in all five cities demanded the release of "prisoners of conscience" and called for new parliamentary elections in the country.
The Georgian opposition considers the parliamentary elections held in the country in October to be fraudulent.
- Previously, the government of the "Georgian Dream" party initiated the adoption of laws that faced sharp criticism from Western countries: the "On Transparency of Foreign Influence" aimed at restricting the activities of NGOs receiving funding from abroad, and a ban on so-called "LGBT propaganda." The opposition labels the ruling party as pro-Russian. Moscow denies allegations of interference in Georgia's affairs.
- Leaders of the "Georgian Dream" assert that the elections in which their party won were legitimate. Regarding the suspension of negotiations for closer ties with the EU, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated that the authorities remain committed to their goal and that the country will be ready to join the European bloc by 2030.
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