Protesters in Tbilisi blocked Rustaveli Avenue for the 323rd day in a row.

Activists in Tbilisi continued their lengthy protest outside the Georgian parliament building despite tougher penalties for participating in demonstrations.

As the "Caucasian Knot" reported, the ruling Georgian Dream party developed a package of bills designed to toughen penalties for violating the rules for holding rallies; today, these amendments were adopted in an expedited manner. Nevertheless, daily protests continue in Tbilisi - on October 15, for the 322nd day in a row, supporters of Georgia's European integration blocked traffic on Rustaveli Avenue near the parliament.

Protesters in Tbilisi this evening, on the 323rd day of continuous protests, once again gathered outside the Georgian Parliament building and blocked traffic on Rustaveli Avenue. As in previous days, they are demanding new parliamentary elections and the release of those detained during the protests, InterPressNews reports.

Activists stated that they do not intend to cease daily demonstrations, despite the new repressive laws. They called on their fellow citizens to defend Georgia's European future despite the intensifying repression, reminding that being on the sidewalk remains a legal way to demonstrate one's position.

“I want to tell the public that standing on the sidewalk is in no way illegal. If you're afraid of being fined or arrested for standing on the sidewalk, no one will. So get out there, at least stand on the sidewalk, and support the protest that's happening right now,” Pirveli TV quotes activist Nika Simonishvili as saying.

Georgia's fifth president, Salome Zurabishvili, called the fine imposed on OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen after attending the protest on Rustaveli Avenue on October 14 a gross violation of her diplomatic immunity.

"The fines for OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Elina Valtonen are a signal to the world: the 'Georgian nightmare' intimidates diplomats, silences citizens, and abandons European principles. Citizens' voices are suppressed, democratic norms are ignored, and freedom is under threat. Europe must not turn its back!" she wrote on social media.

Protesters in Georgia have been demanding new parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners since November 28, 2024.. Security forces violently dispersed the protests, using tear gas and water cannons, and detained protesters. Over the course of the protests, more than a thousand people were subjected to administrative prosecution. The "Caucasian Knot" has compiled materials about the parliamentary elections and the subsequent protests on the page "Elections in Georgia-2024".

On October 4, municipal elections were held in all municipalities of Georgia. Candidates from the ruling "Georgian Dream" were elected mayors in all 64 cities where elections were held, receiving 100% of the vote in 26 of them. These elections will determine the political balance in Georgia for the coming years. The next major elections in the country are scheduled for 2028, so the current vote is essentially a key one for both the government and the opposition, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Municipal Elections in Georgia on October 4, 2025".

"Caucasian Knot" is posting materials about the past municipal elections and protests by opposition supporters on the thematic page "Georgia: Elections Amid Protests".