Police began making arrests after blocking a road in central Tbilisi.

SovLab researcher Rusudan Kobakhidze and activist Guram Gongadze were detained after security forces removed protesters from the roadway on Rustaveli Avenue. Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov, who served a 14-day sentence for blocking a road, also attended the protest today. Russian citizen Nikolai Belikov was also released from custody.

As "Caucasian Knot" reported, on the evening of November 4, the 342nd day of daily protests, police in Tbilisi forced protesters to leave the roadway on Rustaveli Avenue near the parliament building, after which they began detaining demonstrators at the protest site and near the metro.

Citizens gathered on Rustaveli Avenue blocked the roadway. Police called on them to clear the road. Patrol police have been mobilized near the parliament building. Participants are chanting: "Victory is in the people, strength is in unity!"; "Fire against the oligarchy!"; "Until the end, until the end!"

The protesters' demands on the 343rd day of continuous protest remain unchanged: new parliamentary elections and the release of all those detained during the protest, Interpressnews reports.

The road was blocked for 20 minutes - protesters blocked it at 9:38 p.m. (8:38 p.m. Moscow time), and security forces removed the protesters from the roadway at 9:58 p.m. (8:58 p.m. Moscow time), Publika reports.

Sovlab researcher and Ilia University lecturer Rusudan Kobakhidze was detained on Rustaveli Avenue after the protest was dispersed, the publication reports.

Kobakhidze, a philologist and mother of nine, reports Tbilisi Life.

Protest participant Guram Gongadze was also detained, writes Publika.

Formula TV journalist Liza Tsitsishvili, who was covering the protest on Rustaveli Avenue while performing her professional duties, was also detained. However, security forces released her.

Courts sentenced activists to various terms of arrest for blocking the road.

The Tbilisi City Court found poet Paata Shamugia guilty of committing an administrative offense – artificially blocking a road. By decision of Judge Manuchar Tsatsua, Shamugia was sentenced to five days of administrative arrest, Interpressnews reports.

The court also sentenced 70-year-old Vazha Berishvili, detained on the evening of November 4, to one day of arrest. Judge Koba Chagunava found demonstrator Beka Agulishvili guilty of the administrative offense. He was sentenced to five days of administrative arrest.

Activist Anuki Gamsakhurdia was also found guilty of committing an administrative offense. The judge sentenced her to two days of administrative arrest. All those arrested were charged with artificially blocking the roadway, the agency reports.

Sadigov and Belikov released from custody

Azerbaijani opposition journalist Afgan Sadigov was also released after 14 days of administrative arrest for participating in a protest on Rustaveli Avenue. Today, he returned to parliament, TV Pirveli reports.

Russian citizen Nikolai Belikov, who was also serving a 14-day arrest, was also released this evening.

As a reminder, on October 23, the Tbilisi City Court sentenced Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov to 14 days of administrative arrest, finding him one of those who blocked traffic on Rustaveli Avenue. In addition to administrative arrest, Sadygov was also fined over $100,000 for 55 offenses. The defense appealed the fines imposed on Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadygov in Georgia.

On October 23, a Tbilisi court also sentenced Russian citizen Nikolai Belikov, detained during protests on Rustaveli Avenue, to 14 days of administrative arrest. After serving his arrest, Belikov must be deported to his country of citizenship and will also be banned from re-entering Georgia for two years. His acquaintances are certain that the opposition figure from Volgograd faces a real risk of persecution and imprisonment in his home country.

 Nikolay Belikov lived in Volgograd before leaving Russia. He was a member of the Yabloko party and an activist in the Volgograd branch of the For Fair Elections movement. The Caucasian Knot wrote about Belikov's detentions during protests in Volgograd. In 2017, he organized the "opposition walk" and participated in a rally demanding that those who ordered the murder of Boris Nemtsov be found. The activist left Russia in 2017 and has been a frequent participant in protests in Tbilisi in recent years.

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