18 detained during rally dispersal at parliament
Law enforcers continue to stay on Rustaveli Avenue to “ensure public safety and peace.” Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The Georgian Interior Ministry has reported that 18 individuals have been detained during the dispersal of a rally at parliament earlier today for hooliganism and disobedience to police.
The Georgian media has reported the detention “of about 10,” while the official number stands at 18.
The ministry said that the work of the Georgian parliament has restored and the central Rustaveli Avenue will reopen to traffic in the coming hours.
Law enforcers continue to stay on Rustaveli Avenue,” the ministry said.
The Georgian Interior Ministry used water cannon to disperse the rally in front of parliament in Tbilisi after demonstrators refused to leave the territory and allow MPs in the legislative body.
The demonstrators, who were protesting the rejection of an election bill, refused to leave the area within 30 minutes, in the time given to them by the Interior Ministry.
Water cannons were used after several-time warnings to demonstrators to leave the territory, as according to the Interior Ministry protesters violated the law on assembly and manifestation through blocking the entrances of parliament starting yesterday.
Before the usage of the water cannons officials of Tbilisi City Hall also urged demonstrators to leave the territory and stop hampering the parliament’s work.
The demonstrators are accusing the current state leadership of "breaking its promise and cheating people" as the Georgian Dream ruling party accepted the conduct of 2020 parliamentary elections with a fully proportional electoral system in the summer.
Law enforcers have opened all three entrances of the Georgian parliament to MPs after the dispersal of a rally in central Tbilisi with the use of water cannon. IPN news agency reports that MPs are starting to gather in the parliament building and the ruling Georgian Dream party has plans to hold a meeting which should have been conducted earlier today.
Police have reportedly detained about 10 people during the dispersal of a rally in front of the parliament building in Tbilisi earlier today. Radio Liberty reports the alleged detention of the leader of Girchi party Zurab Japaridze, member of the United National Movement opposition party Otar Siradze, activists Giga Maqarashvili and Zuka Berdzenishvili, lawyer Beka Basilaia and several others.
The Georgian Interior Ministry has used water cannon to disperse the rally in front of parliament in Tbilisi after demonstrators refused to leave the territory and allow MPs in the legislative body. The demonstrators, who are protesting the rejection of an election bill, refused to leave the area within 30 minutes, in the time given to them by the Interior Ministry.
The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has called on demonstrators demanding a fully proportional vote for the 2020 elections to stop blocking access to the parliament building. The ministry says that such actions are illegal, and that if the freedom of expression goes beyond the limits set by law, the police will respond appropriately.
Police have detained three members of the Shecvale (change) Youth Movement in front of the Georgian Dream (GD) office today.