Arrests In Georgia Amid Crackdown On Dissent (Worthy News Radio)

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief

TBILISI/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Tensions remained high in Tbilisi on Monday after Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze pledged to crack down on dissent following the attempted storming of the presidential palace in a protest sparked by his ruling party’s claimed victory in disputed local elections. Numerous people remained detained, and scores were recovering from injuries following the unrest.

Riot police used water cannon and pepper spray to disperse crowds in central Tbilisi, leaving dozens injured. Authorities confirmed that at least five protesters were detained, among them two members of the opposition United National Movement and opera singer-turned activist Paata Burchuladze.

The Health Ministry reported that 21 members of the security forces and six demonstrators required medical treatment.

Protesters said their rally was about more than disputed ballots. They carried Georgian and European Union flags, demanding democratic reforms and greater independence from Russia. “We are fighting for our rights, for our independence. We want our country to be a member of the European Union,” one woman said, warning that Georgians did not wish to return to “a Soviet republic” and become part of Russia.

Another protester described the demonstrations as “an expression of deep crisis formed by our pro-Russian and authoritarian government.”

GOVERNMENT ISSUES WARNING

Prime Minister Kobakhidze, however, accused the protesters of trying to topple his government. He vowed that “no one will be left unpunished,” stressing that authorities now “had more resources” to identify and prosecute those he called “provocateurs.”

The prime minister also accused the European Union of interference and singled out the EU’s ambassador to Georgia, Paweł Herczyński, as “bearing special responsibility” for what he called an “announced attempt to overthrow the constitutional order.”

He urged the envoy to “distance himself and strictly condemn everything that is happening on the streets of Tbilisi.”

International rights groups expressed alarm. Amnesty International warned the local elections were “marred by severe reprisals and a risk of further violence,” citing harassment of journalists and restrictions on peaceful assembly.

The International Crisis Group urged the ruling Georgian Dream party to “halt its crackdown,” saying continued repression would push the nation further from European integration. European politicians have also voiced concern. In earlier statements, the European Union noted progress toward membership depends on respect for democratic norms and the rule of law.

EU SANCTIONS CONSIDERED

Some EU lawmakers have already called for coordinated measures against Tbilisi if the crackdown deepens.

The unrest has added pressure on Kobakhidze, a 46-year-old lawyer and longtime strategist for Georgian Dream, who became Prime Minister in February 2024.

Critics argue that his leadership has shifted the country closer to Moscow, with EU accession talks being shelved until at least 2028. Yet supporters view him as a defender of national sovereignty against what he calls “foreign interference.”

Georgia has long been caught between East and West. In 2008, it fought a brief war with Russia over the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which remain under Moscow’s control.

Former president Mikheil Saakashvili, who rose to power after the 2003 Rose Revolution, pursued pro-Western reforms but later faced accusations of abuse of power.

Today, protesters fear the South Caucasus nation may again be sliding toward authoritarian rule, despite their expressed aspirations “for freedom, justice, and a European future.”

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