Video | Protesting 'For Freedom'

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Georgians have been protesting in front of the Parliament for more than a week now. What are the demonstrations about and what is the protest so widespread?

2019 Gavrilov’s Night Protests

Dato Parulava •

30 articles•0 Followers

Dato Parulava is a journalist and former staff writer at OC Media. He’s interested in human rights, with a focus on minority rights and Georgia’s EU integration process, and is currently study

Vladimir Putin during his annual press conference on 14 December 2023. Photo: Sergei Bobylev/TASS.

2019 Gavrilov’s Night Protests

Putin expands visa-free regime for Georgian citizens

OC Media

••2 min read

Russia will allow Georgian citizens to stay in the country without a visa for more than 90 days, including for the purposes of working and studying. President Putin signed the decree to expand the visa-free regime for Georgian citizens on Thursday, which went into effect immediately. According to the document, the visa-free entry regime to Russia now applies to citizens of Georgia arriving ‘to the Russian Federation for the purpose of carrying out work activities or for a period of more t

Tear gas being deployed against protesters on 20 June 2019. Photo: Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media.

2019 Gavrilov’s Night Protests

Georgian court awards lifelong payments to person injured in ‘Gavrilov’s Night’ protests

Tata Shoshiashvili

••2 min read

Tbilisi City Court has ordered the Ministry of Internal Affairs to pay one of those injured during the 20–21 June 2019 Gavrilov’s night protests damages for life. According to the Tbilisi-based rights group the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), who represented the unnamed victim, the court awarded them ₾30,000 ($12,000) in moral damages and ₾1,155 ($440) monthly for life, due to a reduction in their working capacity. ‘[The victim] tried to help a participant surrounded by tear g

EU Council President Charles Michel and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili at a press briefing in Tbilisi days after the agreement was signed. Official photo.

19 April Agreement

Amnesty controversy threatens to derail EU-brokered deal in Georgia

Shota Kincha

••4 min read

Months before the local elections, disagreements over a proposed amnesty law are threatening to derail a deal brokered by the EU to bring an end to the political crisis in the country. At present, most opposition MPs remain against the amnesty for actions during the June 2019 anti-government protests. The amnesty is part of an EU-mediated agreement signed by the government and opposition parties on 19 April to end their 7-month boycott of parliament. While the deal was not signed by several

2019 Gavrilov’s Night Protests

Protesters mark ‘Gavrilov’s Night’ anniversary in Tbilisi

OC Media

••4 min read

Georgian anti-government group Shame and several opposition parties have marked the anniversary of last year’s violent clashes with police with a demonstration outside parliament. Organisers said the protest was directed against both the Kremlin’s policies toward Georgia as well as the ruling Georgian Dream party, who they dubbed ‘pro-Russian’. Giorgi Margvelashvili, who was elected fourth President of Georgia as part of Georgian Dream before breaking with the party, was among the spea