31 people arrested on 67th day of pro-European protests in Tbilisi

On the 67th day of the pro-European protests, 31 people were administratively detained near one of the Tbilisi exits, near the Tbilisi Mall. They were charged under Article 173 (disobedience to the police).

The protesters tried to block the roads for several hours, then walked from Agmashenebeli Alley through the embankment to Rustaveli Avenue – a place where continuous protests have been taking place for more than two months.

The police began detaining the demonstrators at approximately 6:00 p.m. The media outlets showed live footage of the police brutalizing and cursing the demonstrators during the arrests.

According to Radio Liberty, five of those detained at the protest required hospitalization due to beatings after their arrest. They were taken to the Ingorokva Clinic.

Zurab Shonia, Levan Oboladze, Gedevan Kupradze, Levan Asanidze and Guram Kapanadze have been taken to the clinic with various injuries.

Nika Melia, one of the founders and chairman of the “Akhli” party, was also arrested. He is currently free.

After leaving the police building, he said in an interview with “TV Pirveli” that he had been the target of physical violence in the police by the deputy head of the Isani-Samgori police department, Giorgi Chokuri.

“Giorgi Chokuri is kicking a handcuffed person sitting on a bench. This is more than physical violence. I am being detained in the police building – what is surprising, people are being tortured, but how can you beat a detainee. “In a transparent building, the deputy chief of police dares to kick a detained person, and if it weren’t for his own employees, who demand justice, who would have intervened,” said Nika Melia after leaving the department.

Sandro Abesadze, who lost consciousness during the demonstration and, according to relatives, had to be taken to the clinic, got into a scuffle with the police. He is hospitalized at the Vivamed clinic. Niko Kokaia, the cameraman of TV Pirveli, was also taken to the clinic by ambulance.

The Media Advocacy Coalition responded to the illegal actions taken against the media at the protest rally on February 2. The coalition categorically condemns the further acts of violence and intimidation against independent media by the Chairman of the Parliament of the Georgian Dream and police representatives.

During the peaceful protest on February 2, police officers illegally detained and physically assaulted a number of participants. Among them, they illegally obstructed and insulted media representatives:

The police illegally obstructed the work of Vakho Kareli and Nata Uridia, employees of the media outlet “April”;

A journalist from Radio “Liberty” was obstructed and threatened;
The police physically assaulted and illegally obstructed the work of the main channel’s journalist Dea Mamiseishvili. The journalist wrote about this on Facebook and posted a video.
Niko Kokaia, a cameraman for “TV Pirveli”, was physically injured while covering the illegal detention and was taken to the hospital for treatment;

At the protest, the police insulted the film crew of “TV Pirveli”. The police officers targeted the damage to the broadcasting equipment and attempted to attack the TV Pirveli camera crew and break the equipment, the TV company reports.
Deputy Head of the State Broadcasting Department, sanctioned Mirza Kezevadze, seized the phone of a TV Pirveli journalist and damaged it. According to TV Pirveli, there was also an attempt to seize the microphone of a Formula journalist.
Law enforcement officers prevented Media Checker journalist Ninia Kakabadze from carrying out her professional activities, during which, according to her, she was beaten.
According to Guria News, a masked man without a police uniform was beating their camera;
“These facts constitute a direct attack on media freedom and a gross violation of democratic principles. It is particularly alarming that these crimes are not the first cases and the “Georgian Dream” regime has been committing violence against its own citizens and media representatives for years. It is noteworthy that since November 28, 2024, not a single person involved in the violence against the media has been brought to justice, and the director of “Netgazeti” and “Batumelebi” Mzia Amaglobeli remains in illegal detention, having been on a hunger strike since his arrest.

The Media Advocacy Coalition expresses its full solidarity with the affected journalists and media organizations. “Persecution and pressure on media representatives in the state are unacceptable” – Media Advocacy Coalition.

Photo: Group “Leave it”, D. Danelia

QvemoQartli.ge