Pro-European protests in Tbilisi continue for 672 days

Residents of Tbilisi on the 672nd day of continuous protests gathered at the parliament demanding a change in political course. Relatives of those convicted for participating in the protests demanded that the "Public Broadcaster" provide them with airtime.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on September 29, on the 671st day of continuous pro-European protests, citizens gathered near the parliament of Georgia welcomed the release of activist Gela Khasai, who spent a year in detention.

Despite the rain, citizens demanding the release of political prisoners and a return of Georgia to a Euro-Atlantic course gathered today near the parliament and city council building in Tbilisi for the 672nd evening in a row. Among the unchanging demands of the demonstrators are the repeal of repressive laws and the conduct of free, transparent elections, reports Publika.

Activists held national flags, as well as flags of the European Union, the USA, and Ukraine. Some of them held placards: "Freedom!", "No to violence", "To enlightenment on the path of Ilya", "Schools are collapsing, plaster is falling off. In kindergartens, children are poisoned with semolina porridge", according to photos published by photographer Giorgi Mosiashvili (Mo Se) on Facebook*.

According to a photo published by activist Giorgi Mumladze, at least 100 people gathered near the parliament building.

Family members of those detained during the protests are conducting a 24-hour protest action outside the "Public Broadcaster" building. Their main demand is to be given airtime and to organize a meeting with the management, reports Interpressnews.

Those gathered outside the "Public Broadcaster" held placards: "Show our truth", "The public broadcaster belongs to the people", "Society has the right to receive complete information", "The time of the public broadcaster belongs to us too", "Why is our voice not heard?".

According to the parents of political prisoners, they already held a similar 24-hour action in June, but their demands were not responded to then. They still demand the opportunity to tell the public about their detained relatives and present their position.

Zurab Tsetskhladze, the father of Zviad Tsetskhladze, who was detained during the protests, stated that the participants of the action intend to seek a meeting with council members, management, and the director of the "Public Broadcaster". According to him, their main goal is to get the opportunity to speak on air and tell about the situation. "We want society to receive objective information about our children and our struggle," he stated.

Marina Terishvili, the mother of another detainee, Giorgi Terishvili, also stated that it is important for the family to convey their position to the public. According to her, the detained young people are publicly labeled as "terrorists" and "shameless". "We want everyone to know: our children are decent guys, they are prisoners of conscience," Terishvili emphasized.

It should be noted that the leader of the student movement Dafioni, Zviad Tsetskhladze, has been in detention since December 2024, and in September he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for participating in pro-European protests. While in detention, Tsetskhladze started publishing a newspaper called "Camera 101", dedicated to socio-political news in Georgia. On October 25, 2025, he declared a hunger strike in protest against the administrative arrest of his father under the administrative article of "artificially blocking the road". In another letter from prison on August 20, the activist reported systematic inhumane treatment of prisoners in jails.

In April 2026, the Tbilisi Court of Appeals upheld the sentence of 11 participants in pro-European protests, including Giorgi Terishvili. All of them were detained at the end of 2024 and sentenced to two years in prison. The court acquitted them of charges of participating in group violence but found them guilty of organizing group actions that violate public order.

Participants in the protests in Georgia have been demanding new parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners since November 28, 2024. Law enforcement has conducted harsh dispersals of protests, using tear gas and water cannons, and detained protesters. During the protests, thousands of people have faced administrative prosecution. "Caucasian Knot" has prepared a reference "Main points on the prosecution of protest participants in Georgia".