18:20, 8 March 2014

Police violently suppresses protest in Adzharia

The police have stopped the protest of residents of the village of Gurta, Adzharia, who protested against the construction of an HPP in their district.

Today, villagers of Gurta, Khulo Municipality of Adzharia, would not let government officials to the site, where they intend to build a new hydropower plant (HPP). The villagers demanded to pay compensations and address the problems of the village.

The above officials ordered to disperse the protest action; and it was done by policemen, the "Georgia Online" reports with reference to the local Guram Geladze.

"We are dispersed by the police, they beat us with anything. The Govt has ordered to disperse the action, should we refuse to obey the police," said Guram Geladze.

Policemen also tried to detain the protesters, but locals would not allow this, the "InterPressNews" reports.

According to Lasha Chkhartishvili, the chairman of the "Group of Greenpeace supporters", the construction of the Khudon HPP will result in flooding about 400 hectares of forest, six villages, two working churches and 50 cemeteries.