We continue our live coverage of the fallout and widespread protests over Georgia’s EU accession U-turn.

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Protests in Tbilisi continue

Tens of thousands of people have gathered outside the Georgian Parliament in Tbilisi for a 12th night in a row. 

A number of protesters are continuing to hang images of the victims of police brutality on the Christmas tree erected outside the building yesterday.

 

Street demonstrations continue in Georgia’s regions

Protests resumed this evening in several Georgian cities, including Batumi, Kutaisi, and Zugdidi. 

In Kutaisi, activists decorated a small ‘Christmas tree’ with photos of assaulted and injured media workers, mirroring a similar act by media representatives in front of the Parliament in Tbilisi before authorities removed the images.

In Zugdidi, outside the regional governor’s office, protesters brought a cage containing an effigy of Bidzina Ivanishvili and screened footage of recent police violence in Tbilisi on a large screen.

Earlier today, protest rallies ‘against violence’ also took place in Gurjaani and Telavi, towns in Kakheti Region.

Journalist alleging police planted drugs on them placed in pre-trial detention

Tbilisi City Court Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili has remanded journalist Nika Katsia to two months of pre-trial detention.

During the hearing, Katsia, who was detained two days ago, reiterated his claims that the masked men that assaulted him during his arrest also planted drugs on him, and that the Prosecutor’s Office had fabricated drug charges against him.

Judge Mchedlishvili’s announcement sparked protests at the court, with some of Katsia’s supporters labelling her as ‘shameful’ and ‘disgraceful’. 

 

Georgian Dream proposes easing public sector ‘reorganisation’

Georgian Dream’s Executive Secretary, Mamuka Mdinaradze, has announced another new legal initiative that would make it easier for the government to fire public employees.

According to him, the amendments to the Law on Public Service would ‘simplify reorganisation procedures in the public sector.’

Rights groups in Georgia have criticised the frequent use of ‘reorganisations’ by government bodies as a tool to purge public bodies and government ministries of civil servants who are not sufficiently loyal to the ruling party.

The announcement comes amidst a flurry of petitions signed by public employees opposing the government’s anti-EU turn and against the ongoing street violence targeting protesters and journalists.

18-year-old activist handed 12-day administrative detention

Tbilisi City Court has sentenced 18-year-old activist Sandro Kinkladze to 12 days in detention on the charges of disobeying police. 

Known for speaking out against the government and police brutality, Kinkladze was detained yesterday in Tbilisi.

Georgian parliament rushes amendments restricting fireworks sales and simplifying police recruitment

As nationwide anti-government protests continue, the ruling party has introduced two draft amendments seemingly related to them.

One proposed change, to the Law on Police, would allow the Interior Ministry to establish hiring rules by decree, instead of announcing competitions currently required by law.

Georgian Dream also proposes penalties for violations related to the import, export, production, and sale of pyrotechnics, along with imprisonment of up to five years for illegal transportation resulting in significant harm.

The two legal initiatives came as protesters use fireworks against the parliament building and riot police in Tbilisi and growing accusations that the Interior Ministry unlawfully hired physically fit people with covered faces to use them against protesters and journalists.

Danish and Latvian embassies speak out following visit to beaten TV Pirveli journalists 

The Latvian Embassy has said they ‘stand in solidarity with all Georgian media representatives who have been injured in the line of duty during the protests’. It followed a visit by foreign diplomats to the hospitalised TV Pirveli crew who were brutally attacked on Saturday night by masked assailants, widely believed to be tied to the Georgian government.

Following the visit, the Danish Embassy stated that ‘true democracy thrives on accountability and transparency, where every citizen has the right to freely question and investigate events’.

The visit also included the ambassadors of the US, Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, Germany, and the UK

EU ambassador confirms sanctions being prepared

The EU Ambassador to Georgia, Paweł Herczyński, has said that ‘work is already underway to prepare sanctions’ in response to the Georgian government’s actions over the past 12 days.

Herczyński reportedly said that while the option of suspending visa free travel to the Schengen Zone for Georgian citizens remained on the table, they were also considering the imposing travel bans on certain individuals. 

‘Acts of violence, intimidation and threats against human rights defenders, civil society representatives and activists, journalists and politicians – such as those we are currently seeing in Georgia - are deplorable and blatantly incompatible with basic democratic values’, Ambassador Herczyński stated earlier today.

Journalist who witnessed police beating of Beka Korshia fears deportation to Russia

Beslan Kmuzov, a journalist from the regional media outlet Caucasian Knot, has insisted he has ‘no intention or desire to go to Russia’ in an apparent warning that he fears being handed over by the Georgian authorities. 

Kmuzov said Georgia’s migration service has summoned him for tomorrow morning. 

Kmuzov’s spouse, Nia Khubunaia, reported that he was detained during a protest in Tbilisi on  Saturday, which Caucasian Knot says was covering. He was released the following day after being fined ₾2,000 ($710) for ‘disobeying the police’.

Following his release, Kmuzov said he had witnessed the beating of two individuals, including Georgian journalist Beka Korshia, and corroborated multiple reports of law enforcement officers looting detainees.

Protests resume outside Georgian Public Broadcaster

Protests have resumed outside the Georgian Public Broadcaster’s (GPB) offices condemning police violence and the Georgian Dream government. The rally restarted after members of the theatrical community marched from Tbilisi City Hall to the broadcaster’s premises. 

They were joined by a group of architects with a banner ‘architects for solidarity’. 

During the recent anti-government protests, the GPB has faced criticism from government opponents, who accused them of promoting the government’s propaganda through their editorial approach to covering events, including violence against protesters.

Batumi Arts University Dean arrested

The dean of Visual, Stage, and Film/TV Arts at the Batumi Art Teaching University, Mamuka Jorbenadze, has been arrested along with four students according to Batumelebi.

The five have reportedly been charged with committing group violence, which carries a sentence of up to 2 years in prison.

According to investigators, the incident arose after Jorbenadze insulted another lecturer, Tea Tsaguria, after she refused to allow students to hang a protest banner near the rector's office. They claim Jorbenadze and the students later physically assaulted Tsaguria’s husband, Irakli Devadze, and his friend.

Jorbenadze’s lawyer, Davit Japaridze, told Batumelebi that Jorbenadze had spoken with Tsaguria about her attempts to dissuade students from joining the protests. He said Tsaguria’s husband, who works for the city hall, then came to the university with another person and attacked Jorbenadze.

According to Batumelebi, two of the detained students are 20 years old, one is 21, and the fourth is 22. 

US Ambassador Dunnigan and diplomats visit TV Pirveli crew hospitalised after recent attack while covering protests

US Ambassador to Georgia Robin Dunnigan and her European colleagues visited the members of the TV Pirveli crew who were injured during a recent attack by a violent unidentified group while covering the protests in Tbilisi.

‘We strongly condemn the brutal and unjustified attacks on media members and Georgian citizens by Georgian Dream in recent days’, the embassy said, adding that ‘at such times, it is most evident how important free media is for a free society’.

The statement also cited US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who mentioned that the US is preparing to use available measures, including sanctions, to ensure accountability for those responsible for violence and those who facilitate a violent environment.

UK to suspend all programme support to Georgian government

‘In light of ongoing events, the UK will immediately suspend all programme support to the Georgian government', Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced today.

‘The shocking scenes of violence towards protestors and journalists by the Georgian authorities are unacceptable and must stop’, the statement from the Foreign Secretary read.

The UK will restrict defence cooperation and limit engagement with representatives of the Georgian Dream government ‘until there is a halt to this move away from European democratic norms and freedoms’.

‘The UK will continue to stand by the people of Georgia in supporting their right to choose their country’s future’. the statement concluded.

Armenian activists offer protest strategies to Georgian demonstrators

A group of Armenian activists, united in a newly created Facebook page called ‘Armenian Anti-Colonial Resistance’, expressed solidarity with protesters in Georgia. 

‘We see our resistance beyond the state’s borders, where the central focus is on the people and their dignified lives’, the activists said.

In their statement, they share strategies from Armenia's 2018 revolution, which resulted in the ousting of President Serzh Sargsyan, including decentralised protests to divide police forces, daytime demonstrations, car support, road blockages, and pots-and-pans protests for those unable to join physically. 

They also suggest marching to the residences of ruling elites, humiliating them in front of their neighbors, and building barricades while using chants to shame the police.

'We are united in our struggles; let us also stand united in resistance!' they declared.

‘Government using violence to destroy free media’, online outlets say

Online media outlets operating in Georgia have condemned the torture, violence, harassment, and intimidation against journalists during the ongoing protests in Tbilisi. According to the signatories of the statement, ‘The government is using violence to destroy the free media’.

The joint statement emphasises that the attacks were primarily organised by the police, although violence was also carried out by informal groups of aggressors, with the police showing ‘brazen inaction’ in response.

The authors of the statement express solidarity with the affected colleagues and those who continue working at the risk of their health and safety. 

They also call on all state and non-state institutions, as well as the international community, to contribute to the protection of media freedom and help hold the perpetrators of violence accountable.

The statement has been signed by more than a dozen online media platforms, including OC Media. Signatures are still being collected.

Pussy Riot member Maria Alyokhina reportedly denied entry into Georgia

Maria Alyokhina, a member of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot known for its opposition to the government, was reportedly denied entry into Georgia, Alyokhina wrote on Instagram. As with other foreigners who have been refused entry, the only reason given was ‘other cases envisaged by Georgian legislation’.

Kobakhidze vows to eradicate 'liberal fascism'

During today’s government session, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has named the elimination of ‘liberal fascism’ as one of the priorities of the new government's political agenda. 

According to Kobakhidze, ‘After four years, or even earlier, liberal fascism must be completely eradicated in Georgia, and the forces attempting to bring constant division and conflict into our society must be fully neutralized’.

‘Liberal fascism’ is another conspiracy theory promoted by Georgian Dream, which it activated in the spring of 2023 after the ruling party was forced to retract the first version of the foreign agents law following widespread public protests. The law was subsequently passed amid massive demonstrations earlier in 2024.

Irritated by the earlier forced retreat, Georgian Dream has since intensified its anti-liberal rhetoric.

Georgian police acts with higher standards than American and European counterparts, Kobakhidze claims

According to Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, the events that unfolded on Rustaveli Avenue were a ‘small imitation of war’ orchestrated by the ‘War Party’. The ‘War Party’ is a term used by the Georgian Dream party to refer to the former ruling party, the United National Movement, linking it to all other opposition groups. The ruling party also uses the term ‘Global War Party’, a Georgian Dream conspiracy theory that suggests a secret cabal controls the West and aims to incite war worldwide.

During a government session held today, Kobakhidze commented on the protests in Tbilisi, stating that it took the police ‘five days’ to ‘neutralize the violent resources of the radical opposition’.

He also once again thanked the Ministry of Internal Affairs and claimed that the police had acted with ‘higher standards than American and European ones’ during recent days, and had prevented an attempt at a Maidan-style movement in Georgia. According to Kobakhidze, ‘Of course, there were a few unfortunate incidents, and an investigation has already been launched’.

In recent days, Kobakhidze repeatedly expressed gratitude to the police which brutally beat many pro-European protestors and journalists covering the protests. Numerous citizens have publicly shared their experiences of police brutality, describing how they were severely beaten, verbally abused and humiliated by officers.

According to the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA), the vast majority of those detained during the protests were beaten. The organization adds that there has been torture, inhumane, and degrading treatment of demonstrators and journalists.

Kobakhidze claims European integration has not been halted

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze claimed that ‘in reality, the government has not stopped European integration’. This statement came despite the fact that on 28 November, the ruling party itself announced that Georgia’s EU membership bid would be halted until 2028.

Kobakhidze asserted that, ‘on the contrary, we are fully focused on fulfilling the relevant commitments’. 

According to Kobakhidze, ‘this was well understood by the protest participants, and therefore, the relevant demand can no longer be on the agenda because there is nothing to demand’.

Kobakhidze made this statement on the twelfth day of the street protests, which began right after the Georgian Dream party announced the halting of the country’s EU membership bid.

‘70% of Tbilisi hotels are empty’, says chair of hotels association

Shalva Alaverdashvili, the Chairman of the Association of Restaurants and Hotels of Georgia, complained about the recent developments in the country, stating that ‘almost 70% of the hotels in Tbilisi are completely empty’. 

Alaverdashvili said that the main solution in this situation is de-escalation, which requires the new elections.

‘Guests are almost no longer there. Even today, on Sunday, we are discussing what to do, how to retain staff, and what the outcome will be […] the number of bookings has dropped to a minimum’, he added on BMG's broadcast on 8 December.

Alaverdashvili complained about the atmosphere of fear, mentioning that ‘it has become quite difficult to wake up every morning and hear from friends and family to be careful’. 

‘This country cannot move forward like this’, he added. 

‘Peace and stability are very important for us, and the sooner we find a solution, the sooner we will be able to restore the sector […] In my opinion, the main solution is de-escalation, and for that, new elections should be held’, Alaverdashvili concluded.

President Zourabichvili returns to Tbilisi

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, who was in Paris for the re-opening of the Notre-Dame Cathedral, returned to Tbilisi today.

She was seen flying in economy class, with many passengers sharing photos and videos of her on the plate. One traveller said that the entire plane 'applauded and thanked her’.

 During her time in Paris, Zourabichvili met with several world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and US President-elect Donald Trump. Zourabichvili said that in her conversation with Trump, she ‘exposed the stolen election and extremely alarming repression against the people of Georgia’.

Zourabichvili also met Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. She also posted a photo with Polish President Andrzej Duda, thanking him and Poland for their support.

Protesters form ‘defence group’

A group of protesters in Tbilisi have announced the creation of a ‘defence group’ to protect demonstrators from attacks by ‘titushki’ — assailants allegedly linked to the government.

This was announced in a video published today showing a masked man, amidst other masked individuals, in front of the Drama Theatre on Rustaveli Avenue. They offered assurances that no ‘titushki’ can harm protesters, and that they intend to protect protesters on the streets.

‘The people behind me do not represent any political party’, the man says, adding that the group was ‘ready to do the job of those who fail to protect their own people’, referring to the police.

In the video, the man says that the group will walk ‘from street to street, ready to help, stand by your side, and ensure your safety’. 

Recently, violent masked groups have appeared near protest sites, attacking protestors and journalists. On 6 December, they assaulted a TV Pirveli crew, physically harming a journalist and brutally beating a cameraman, and later attacked members of the opposition ‘Coalition for Change’ after breaking into their office. 

Citizens have reported that masked groups are lurking in smaller streets around Rustaveli Avenue, warning each other on social media about risky areas. 

Christmas tree installation continues at protest epicentre

Amidst anti-government demonstrations and police violence, the Tbilisi City Hall continues to set up a Christmas tree near parliament, the epicentre of the protests.

On Sunday, activists and media representatives ‘decorated’ the still-unfinished structure of the tree with photos of beaten protesters and journalists as a form of protest. Later, people also hung flags of Georgia, the European Union, Ukraine, and the United States, alongside other posters.

However, on Monday, the city removed these materials to finish decorating the tree.

Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze insists that children should be given the opportunity to enjoy the Christmas tree. However, critics see the installation of the tree as a cynical gesture, given the violence many citizens have suffered at the hands of the police on and around Rustaveli Avenue.

Key events from yesterday

• Protests throughout Georgia continued on Sunday. 
• Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze criticised for erecting a Christmas tree at the spot of frequent protests and violence. Protesters have placed pictures of other demonstrators and journalists who were injured or assaulted by the police throughout the week.
• Georgian Dream has announced plans to introduce a bill banning the use of face coverings during protests. This would affect protesters’ use of gas masks to shield from the effects of tear gas.
• The authorities have summoned activists and journalists as witnesses in undisclosed cases. Those summoned include liberal activist Ana Subeliani, queer rights advocate Mariam Kvaratskhelia, Rondeli Foundation researcher Vato Bzhalava, Giorgi Vashadze, Chair of the opposition party Strategy Aghmashenebeli, and Ani Kavtaradze, a member of the Coalition for Change opposition alliance.
• The Georgian Patriarchate has condemned the attack on TV Pirveli’s crew, and called on the government to investigate the incident. They also urged all sides to show restraint, warning that urgent measures were needed to ensure a peaceful process in Georgia.