11:20, 9 May 2020

Four persons detained at protest action in Batumi

Clashes near the Adjara Government House in Batumi. Photo: screenshot of the video at the ajaratv.ge website https://ajaratv.ge/article/59045"

About 100 people came to the Adjara Government House in Batumi on Friday, May 8, demanding the release of two detained men. There were clashes of protesters with policemen; and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) reported on the detention of four persons.

Rezo Tsulukidze and Eldar Antadze were detained in Batumi after a brawl. Their relatives assert that the men are not guilty and that they were detained illegally, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports. In its turn, the MIA has stated that the men were detained under the article of "Hooliganism".

The footage filmed by the Adjara Public Broadcaster shows the protesters and policemen pushing each other, trying to squeeze the opponents back; after which detentions began. During the clashes, several men fell down on the hood of a police car.

The Georgian MIA has reminded that "until May 22, the country is under the state of emergency, during which meetings and demonstrations are prohibited."

The state of emergency is in force in Georgia since March 21; and on March 31, a curfew was introduced. Since April 15, four major cities – Tbilisi, Batumi, Rustavi and Kutaisi – are closed for entry. By May 8, Georgia had registered 623 coronavirus infection cases; 10 of them were fatal.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 8, 2020 at 10:45 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Galina Gotua

Source: CK correspondent