Protesters in Tbilisi demanded the release of Afgan Sadygov.

Participants in a rally outside the Georgian Parliament on the 566th day of continuous protests came out in support of Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov and Netgazeti and Batumelebi founder Mzia Amaglobeli.

As "Caucasian Knot" reported, on June 15, on the 565th day of continuous protests, supporters of Georgia's European integration came out to the Parliament building demanding the release of prisoners of conscience.

Activists carrying national and EU flags took to the streets of the Georgian Parliament today for the 566th consecutive evening. According to a video posted on Facebook* by Giorgi Mumladze, at least 100 people participated in the gathering on Rustaveli Avenue.

The activists held posters reading “We will not accept the Russian Dream,” “Freedom for Georgia from the regime,” and “The collapse of the regime,” according to publications by photographer Giorgi Mosiashvili (Mo Se) and Georgian media on Facebook*.

The crowd also held at least three posters reading “Freedom for Afgan Sadigov.” Participants also supported Mzia Amaglobeli with a poster featuring her photograph and the inscription “A slap in the face of the regime.”

David Tedoradze, a member of the Georgian Dream party in the Supreme Council of Adjara, today called Mzia Amaglobeli a criminal. He was responding to a question from Nino Chkhetia, a member of the For Georgia party, who asked Zurab Pataradze, Chairman of the Government of Adjara, to assess Amaglobeli’s imprisonment, Interpressnews reports.

“Don’t speculate on the fact that that freedom of the media is allegedly being restricted. “A woman who hits the police chief is a criminal,” the publication quotes Tedoradze as saying.

In early August, a court in Batumi sentenced Mzia Amaglobeli, founder of the publications Batumelebi and Netgazeti, to two years in prison for slapping the Batumi police chief Irakli Dgebuadze. The circumstances of her arrest are described in the Caucasian Knot report "The Mzia Amaglobeli Case: Circumstances of the Arrest and the Campaign in Defense of the Journalist".

Journalist Afgan Sadigov, extradited to Azerbaijan from Georgia contrary to the ECHR ruling, has been under arrest since June 8 for A reopened criminal case of extortion. During his stay in Georgia, the journalist regularly supported the daily demonstrations on Rustaveli Avenue. He served several administrative arrests for participating in protests and was sentenced to numerous large fines.

Protesters in Georgia have been demanding new parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners since November 28, 2024. Security forces carried out violent dispersals of the protests, using tear gas and water cannons, and detained protesters. Thousands of people were subjected to administrative prosecution during the protests. The "Caucasian Knot" has prepared a report "The Main Thing About the Persecution of Protesters in Georgia".