Masked groups

Georgia: Violent excesses at anti-government demonstration

(Bild: AFP)

There have been serious excesses of violence at the pro-European protests in the South Caucasus republic of Georgia. Videos showing brutal scenes were posted on social networks: Groups of masked men in black clothing attacked peaceful people, beating and kicking them. A reporter from the opposition TV station TV Pirveli was also beaten to the ground. The police watched the attacks without intervening, as several media reported.

It is the tenth day in a row that thousands of Georgians have protested against the government's decision to postpone negotiations on EU accession until 2028. There have already been dozens of injuries and hundreds of arrests in the street protests in the capital Tbilisi over the past few days. In other cities across the country, people are also protesting against a shift away from Georgia's pro-Western course, which has been a candidate for EU accession since 2023.

Ombudsman calls on police to provide security for citizens
Georgian Human Rights Ombudsman Levan Iosseliani, who has recently complained about the torture of dissidents in prison, called on the police to react immediately to the violence and ensure the safety of citizens. The ombudsman called on the authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice. The Interior Ministry announced an investigation. Iosseliani said on television that the mood in the country had reached "boiling point".

(Bild: AFP)

(Bild: AFP)

MP Mamuka Mdinaradze from the ruling Georgian Dream party explained that the men in black were not acting on behalf of the leadership. Their aim was obviously to cause unrest and chaos. In Tbilisi, numerous clerics of various religions also protested against the violence during the pro-European protests. They expressed their solidarity with the demonstrators striving to join the EU.

Demonstrations continue
In the meantime, the participants are no longer only demonstrating for EU accession and against police violence, but also for the release of those arrested. The protests in the South Caucasus republic were triggered by the controversial parliamentary elections at the end of October. The ruling Georgian Dream party was once again declared the winner. The western-oriented opposition speaks of electoral fraud and does not recognize the results.