20:16, 25 January 2018

Tbilisi protesters demand softer drug policy

Participants of the action "All for One", held in front of the Georgian Parliament, demanded to liberalize drug policy. Tbilisi, January 25, 2018. Photo: REUTERS/David Mdzinarishvili

Participants of the action "All for One", held in front of the Georgian Parliament, demanded to liberalize drug policy and release the actor Giorgi Giorganashvili, sentenced for eight years on charges of illegal drug dealing.

According to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, the action was about 2000 strong.

Tika Samadashvili, a Giorganashvili's friend, said that two hours before the announcement of the verdict, he handed her a letter in which he stated his innocence. "You know about the practice of planting drugs... I know that the prosecutor's office has brought cases against the policemen, who detained me, and asked to testify," Ms Samadashvili read out a fragment from the letter to the audience.

The protesters also demanded to release Beka Tsikarishvili, the leader of the "White Noise" Movement, who stands for decriminalization of drugs in Georgia and who was arrested for 14 days for petty hooliganism.

In November 2017, the Constitutional Court of Georgia abolished the criminal responsibility for using marijuana and cannabis, finding it violating the freedom to choose the type of rest. The Patriarchate of Georgia believes that the bill failed to take into account important measures to combat drug abuse.

The drug policy should be amended in such manner that the fight against drug sellers should not escalate into a battle against consumers, said Akaki Zoidze, the chairman of the parliamentary committee for public health.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.

Author: Galina Gotua

Source: CK correspondent