European Union Condemns Severe Suppression of Protesters in Georgia

Two opposition leaders were arrested during recent protests in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. Protesters, who took to the streets again on Sunday, February 3, demanded new elections and the release of political prisoners. These protests, which have been ongoing for months, were sparked by the government's decision to halt EU accession negotiations until 2028. The ruling party, 'Georgian Dream,' founded by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, was declared the winner in the October parliamentary elections. Critics say this decision was made under Russian influence to keep Georgia from aligning with the West. Widespread violence has occurred during the protests, with hundreds arrested and police accused of violence and torture. On Sunday, February 3, the EU condemned what it called the 'brutal suppression of protesters' by Georgian authorities. Several prominent opposition figures were arrested during the protests in Tbilisi on the same day. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned the treatment of politicians, journalists, and peaceful protesters on social media, calling it unacceptable. Kallas warned that Georgia's behavior is not befitting a candidate for EU membership and stated that 'this political bloc stands with the people of Georgia who are fighting for freedom and democracy.' Nika Melia, a leader of the 'Change Coalition' who was arrested during the protests, was released hours later but reported suffering physical violence from officers during detention. Videos from the Sunday protests show Melia being forcibly dragged by black-clad security forces. After his release, he told the pro-opposition 'Pirveli' television that at least 25 others were also arrested during the protests, and some were subjected to police mistreatment. Tamar Tezazde, a student activist from Ilia State University in Tbilisi, was also arrested on the same day. A video has surfaced showing several security forces pinning her to the ground while she screams. Giorgi 'Gigi' Ugulava, the former mayor of Tbilisi, was among those arrested on Sunday. The protesters' claims about police violence require verification, but many detainees in recent months have testified about the violent treatment by police during detention and protests by masked men wielding baseball bats. The Georgian government has denied any wrongdoing. The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs also refused to respond to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's inquiries about the arrests on Sunday. Georgia gained candidate status for EU membership just over a year ago, but relations between Tbilisi and Brussels have cooled following the controversial law passed in May 2023 regarding 'foreign agents.' This law, which closely resembles a new Russian law, was introduced and passed by the ruling 'Georgian Dream' party, which has been in power for 15 years. The violent suppression of protesters angry at the government's distancing from the EU and closer ties to Moscow, as well as the controversial elections in the country, have exacerbated tensions between Brussels and Tbilisi. The 'Georgian Dream' party claimed victory in the controversial elections on October 27, despite the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe noting irregularities such as vote buying, multiple voting, intimidation, and physical confrontations. Georgian officials violently suppressed anti-government protests. Hundreds were arrested, and many protesters were identified and pursued using Chinese facial recognition cameras. Salome Zourabichvili, the former president of Georgia who supports the protesters, emphasized in an interview with Fox News that defending democracy in Georgia against the 'illegitimate' Tbilisi government and potential Russian influence is beneficial for both the U.S. and Europe. The 'Georgian Dream' party introduced Mikheil Saakashvili, a former football player and a right-wing populist figure, as the new president of the country on December 30. However, Zourabichvili still presents herself as 'the only legitimate president' of Georgia, a claim that is also supported by opposition figures who reject the official results of the controversial parliamentary elections.