Prepared by Messenger Staff
Police Detain 23 Protesters Outside Parliament in Tbilisi
Police detained 23 people on September 2 during a protest on Rustaveli Avenue outside parliament. Activists had gathered as Georgian Dream's parliament reconvened for its fall session and after controversial verdicts in recent protest-related trials.
The Interior Ministry said the protesters were arrested for refusing repeated calls to stop blocking traffic. They now face charges under the Administrative Offences Code, though the exact article has not been specified.
The protest coincided with Georgian Dream MP Tea Tsulukiani presenting a report from the party's investigative commission, which accuses former UNM officials of crimes during their time in power and includes claims that the Saakashvili government triggered the 2008 war with Russia.
The rally came hours after courts handed down two high-profile sentences: prison terms for eight young protesters known as the "smiling boys" and an 8.5-year term for Russian activist Anton Chechin on drug charges.
Zourabichvili Criticizes Public Defender Over Court Bailiff Conduct
The 5th President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili has sharply criticized Georgia's Public Defender for remaining silent amid what she calls "harsh and humiliating" treatment of citizens during political trials.
Writing on social media, Zourabichvili said the Public Defender has been "silent and inactive" while court bailiffs allegedly mistreat attendees and restrict public access to trials. "He is obliged to protect human rights, assume the responsibility assigned by the mandate, and respond immediately to such facts," she wrote.
She accused the Public Defender of indirectly justifying the "violent environment" in courtrooms and worsening public feelings of insecurity and injustice. Zourabichvili called on the office to intervene quickly to stop the alleged mistreatment.
"The Public Defender is silent and inactive regarding this unacceptable and outrageous behavior of the bailiffs," she wrote. "I call on the Public Defender to act quickly to stop the severe and humiliating actions of the bailiffs against citizens."
