20:57, 2 September 2025

More than 20 protesters detained on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi

At least 23 activists who spoke out against Tea Tsulukiani's statements about the 2008 war were detained near the parliament building in Tbilisi. Traffic on Rustaveli Avenue has been blocked for the 279th day in a row.

As "Kavkazsky Uzel" wrote, during today's plenary session of parliament, where the conclusion of the temporary investigative commission on the prerequisites for the Five-Day War" of 2008 was presented, protesters gathered on Rustaveli Avenue, at least 16 people were detained.

In February, a parliamentary commission began work in Georgia to study the "crimes of the regime" of Mikheil Saakashvili in 2003-2012. The commission intends to prove that the "Five-Day War" in 2008 initiated by the third president of Georgia. Eight opposition members were convicted of failing to comply with the commission's demands: the leaders of the Lelo party Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, one of the leaders of the Coalition for Change Zurab Japaridze, the leader of the Strategy Agmashenebeli party Giorgi Vashadze, the former head of the parliamentary committee on defense and security Givi Targamadze and the leaders of the Akhali party Nika Gvaramia, Nika Melia and Irakli Okruashvili.

At least 23 people were arrested on Rustaveli Avenue during a protest against Tea Tsulukiani's statements about the 2008 war, half of the detainees are women, the news agency "News Georgia" writes.

Traffic along the avenue today, on the 279th day of continuous protests, was again blocked off, although today the opposition gathered near the parliament earlier than usual. They blocked off Rustaveli Avenue in two places, near the Rustaveli Theater and near the parliament building. The protesters painted graffiti on the roadway of the avenue, “Russia started the war,” Publika reports.

The action continues: some of the citizens who gathered on Rustaveli had earlier moved to the House of Justice, where a large number of police officers had been deployed, later people from the House of Justice headed to the Georgian Dream office, and then returned in a procession to the action near the parliament, the Tbilisi_life Telegram channel reports.

“Lawyers, sitting on the blocked off Rustaveli Avenue, are calling detention centers and looking for more than 20 detainees,” the publication says. According to the lawyers, the detainees were taken to at least four detention centers - in Akhaltsikhe, Digomi, Gori and Zahesi. Lawyers have already arrived at the first of them, in Dighomi and Zakhesi are also being sent lawyers from non-governmental organizations.

Since November 28, 2024, supporters of European integration have been holding daily protests in Tbilisi near the Georgian Parliament and blocking traffic on Rustaveli Avenue, demanding the release of all arrested protesters and the appointment of new parliamentary elections.

"Caucasian Knot" has published a report "The Main Thing About the Persecution of Protesters in Georgia". "Caucasian Knot" has collected materials about the parliamentary elections and the protests that followed them on the page "Elections in Georgia-2024".

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Translated automatically via Google translate from https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/415080