Protest

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Abkhazia

Protests across Abkhazia after opposition leaders arrested

by OC Media

•5 min read

Protesters have gathered across Abkhazia, blocking bridges and roads, and reportedly ramming the gate of the State Security Service building with a car following the arrests of several opposition leaders. On Tuesday, Abkhazian President Aslan Bzhaniya urged residents to ‘remain calm’ and summoned a meeting of the Security Council. Telegram channels reported on the sudden detainment of five opposition leaders on Monday evening following an argument they had with MP Almas Akaba. The i

The Zestaponi Ferroalloy Plant in May 2014. Photo: Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media.

Chiatura Manganese Mines

Georgian Manganese to stop work at Chiatura mines and ferroalloy plant

by OC Media

•2 min read

The Zestaponi Ferroalloy Plant and all manganese mines in Chiatura, both owned by the mining company Georgian Manganese, have temporarily stopped work until 1 March 2025. On Thursday, Georgian Manganese published a statement saying that until 1 March, a temporary management regime would operate at the Zestaponi Ferroalloy Plant. The plant is Georgia’s largest silicomanganese processing plant. Georgian Manganese is the largest mining and ferroalloy manufacturing company in Georgia, where

Protesters packing up to leave after camping out in front of Georgia’s parliament building for 43 days. Photo: Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media.

Chiatura Manganese Mines

Shukruti demonstrators leave Tbilisi after fruitless protest

by OC Media

•2 min read

Residents of Shukruti protesting against Georgian Manganese have ended their protest in Tbilisi after two weeks of unsuccessful negotiations. The protesters had demanded an assessment by the National Forensics Bureau of their property, as well as to receive adequate compensation from the company for the destruction of their homes during mining operations under the village in Chiatura, western Georgia. One of the protesters, Tamuna Kupatadze, told OC Media that they could not agree with th

Residents of Shukruti hold banners during the protest in front of the Georgian parliament on 11 September. Photo: Tata Shoshiashvili/OC Media.

Chiatura Manganese Mines

Mining company files 30 new lawsuits against Shukruti residents

by OC Media

•3 min read

Manganese mining company Magharoeli LLC has filed lawsuits against 30 residents in the village of Shukruti, demanding that the residents pay a total of ₾5.5 million ($2.1 million), as well as restricting their property rights. The Shukruti residents’ lawyer, Lado Kutateladze, told OC Media that they only found out about the lawsuits on Monday, adding that this latest series of cases aimed to pressure Shukruti residents to end their protest against mining operations under their village.

Residents of Shukruti hold a banner saying ‘To save village Shukruti’. Photo: Tata Shoshiashvili/OC Media.

Chiatura Manganese Mines

Shukruti residents arrive in Tbilisi to continue protest against manganese mining

by OC Media

•3 min read

Demonstrators from Shukruti, who have been protesting for almost six months to raise awareness of the damage caused by manganese mining under their village, have moved their protest to Tbilisi. Police did not allow them to set up their tent in front of the parliament building. On Wednesday evening, several dozen demonstrators arrived in Tbilisi from the village of Shukruti, west Georgia. They asked the state to pay attention to their problems and their protest. Residents of Shukruti have bee

Jumber Tsutskiridze, Giorgi Bitsadze and Amiran Shekiladze sewed their mouths on Sunday. Photo: Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media.

Chiatura Manganese Mines

Three in Shukruti sew lips shut in protest against manganese mining

by Mariam Nikuradze

•4 min read

On Sunday, three protesters from the village of Shukruti sewed their lips shut in an attempt to attract attention to their protest against the damage manganese mining is causing to their homes. This latest action follows more than five months of continuous protest by local residents. Sunday morning was gloomy in the protest tent. People had been gathering since the early hours, knowing that some of the protesters had made the decision to take the extreme measure of sewing their lips shut. W

A crowd in Ochamchira protesting against the bill's passing in its first committee hearing on 19 July. Still from video, OC Media

Abkhazia

Abkhazian President ‘chastises’ officials for failing to contain protests

by OC Media

•1 min read

An anonymous opposition figure has claimed that Abkhazia’s President Aslan Bzhaniya reprimanded local officials for failing to contain recent protests against the aborted apartments law, and instructed them to provoke opposition figures. Sit Maan, an anonymous blogger who frequently posts reports about the government in Abkhazia on Pravda Abkhazia, a public Facebook group, claimed that Bzhaniya met with law enforcement officers and local officials on Friday evening. Bzhaniya reportedly repr