Georgian government reports detaining 48 protesters overnight

The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs has reported that 48 people were detained as a result of the dispersal of the protest on Rustaveli Avenue on the night of 6-7 December. Source: Ekho Kavkaza (Echo of the Caucasus), a Radio Liberty regional project; Novosti Gruzia (News of Georgia), a Georgian news outlet; European Pravda Details: The Interior Ministry said 48 people were detained under articles of the Administrative Code on "disorderly conduct" and "disobedience to police".

The media reported that among the detainees was Beka Korshia, a journalist for the opposition Mtavari TV channel, who was detained as he was walking away from the parliament along a neighbouring street after the dispersal on Rustaveli Avenue.

The detained Coalition for Change MP, Tsotne Koberidze, was released after the arrest, as he is still formally a member of parliament and has immunity. Koberidze said that he was insulted and beaten during his detention, but later the police treated him decently.  It was also reported that former Economy Minister Zurab Alavidze and his son are among the detainees.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs explained the dispersal of the protest by the aggressive actions of the protesters, who fired fireworks and threw stones at the police. 

The Georgian Parliamentary Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) stated that before the violent dispersal, the rally was peaceful and there were no grounds for interference with freedom of assembly. 

Background:

• As is known, protests have been going on in Georgia since 28 November, triggered by doubts about the results of the parliamentary elections announced by the authorities and the decision to pause the issue of opening negotiations on EU accession by 2029.
• Nonetheless, the ruling Georgian Dream party argues that this does not mean a rejection of European integration.
• On 6 December, the presidents of the Baltic states and Poland issued a joint statement in which they expressed support for the European aspirations of the Georgian people and called on the authorities to stop using force against protesters.
• A joint statement was also issued by the foreign ministers of Poland, Germany and France, in which they expressed regret over the Georgian authorities' decision to pause European integration and condemned the persecution of pro-Western protesters.

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