Protesters in Tbilisi are outraged by the arrests of activists for blocking a sidewalk.

Supporters of Georgia's European integration, who gathered near the parliament building on Rustaveli Avenue for the 422nd day in a row, called the arrests of demonstrators for being on the sidewalk an unprecedented violation of human rights.

As "Caucasian Knot" reported, on January 22, the 421st day of daily protests, supporters of Georgia's European integration demanded the release of political prisoners during a daily protest on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. This afternoon, it became known that in Tbilisi Sandro Megrelishvili and Dmitry Dzhamburia were sentenced to administrative arrest in connection with the case of blocking the sidewalks near the parliament building.

A group of activists gathered today, on the 422nd day of continuous protests at the parliament building on Rustaveli Avenue, addressed the crowd regarding the arrests of activists for standing on the sidewalk. According to the protesters, "the regime has once again crossed the line of justice and humanity," writes Publika.

"Our comrade Sandro Megrelishvili was arrested here for standing on the sidewalk in this place. A decent man who peacefully defended the Georgian constitution and a Western future for over a year. Today, the regime has already begun arresting people on the sidewalk," the newspaper quotes the activists as saying.

On January 23, a Tbilisi court heard the administrative cases of seven protesters charged with an administrative offense for standing on the sidewalk. Five of them were given administrative arrests: Sandro Megrelishvili, Dmitry Dzhamburia, and Nukri Kakulia were each given four days' arrest, while Luka Nagliashvili and Mikheil Zakareishvili were given five days' arrest. Activists Ani Akhmeteli and Natia Chavchanidze were also found guilty of violating the law but were released with a verbal warning.

Furthermore, at least eight regular participants in the protests on Rustaveli Avenue—including doctor Vazha Gaprindashvili and Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov—are facing criminal prosecution for blocking a sidewalk, Tbilisi_life reports.

The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs commented on Facebook* posts about arrests for standing on the sidewalk, calling them manipulative. The agency insists that those arrested were not simply standing on the sidewalk, but "intentionally obstructing the movement of citizens" during the protests of December 17 and 18. Meanwhile, the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association called the arrests for protesting on sidewalks evidence that the human rights crisis in the country has "reached a new level."

"This decision essentially makes freedom of assembly a limited right from the outset, deprives it of its substance, and is clearly unconstitutional. The practice of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the courts, pursuing such an unconstitutional human rights policy, demonstrates both repression against individual activists and an attempt to paralyze the possibility of holding demonstrations," Interpressnews quotes the organization's statement.

Protesters in Georgia have been demanding new parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners since November 28, 2024. They have been holding daily protests on Rustaveli Avenue. In October 2025, following the tightening of laws on public gatherings and demonstrations, security forces began mass arrests of protesters on Rustaveli Avenue. Most of them were accused of blocking the avenue and obstructing traffic.