Concert of Yuri Bashmet in Tbilisi was accompanied by protest

During a charity concert of Yuri Bashmet in Tbilisi on March 11, several dozens of young people held a protest action, demanding the arrest the musician for his visiting Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The Law "On Occupied Territories" was adopted by the Georgian parliament after the events in August 2008. According to the Law, any foreigners, who visit Abkhazia and South Ossetia without a permit of Georgian authorities, are under threat of criminal responsibility, since the official Tbilisi treats Abkhazia and South Ossetia as Georgian territories occupied by Russia.

The protesters asserted that the Russian musician had broken the above Law "On Occupied Territories." According to their version, in 2008 Yuri Bashmet and his orchestra held a concert in Tskhinvali and made political statements against Georgia and its leadership. In late 2012, Yuri Bashmet gave a concert in Abkhazia, and also met the President of Abkhazia Alexander Ankvab.

A criminal prosecution should have been initiated against the musician, stated the protesters and demanded to stop the selective application of the law, the "Interfax" reports.

Later, as reported by the "Tbilisi Week", the MIA of Georgia said that Yuri Bashmet's passport has no stamp about his visit to Abkhazia; therefore, there were no grounds for his criminal prosecution.