Tbilisi rally asks Georgia for support in Belarus protests
Rally organisers said it was part of an international campaign involving 45 countries. Photo via protest organisers.
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A rally held in Tbilisi on Tuesday by a local non-governmental organisation and involving Belarusian citizens residing in Georgia asked the government to provide diplomatic support for protesters in Belarus.
Participants unfurled an alternative flag of Belarus - used by the opposition in Minsk - and displayed banners in the protest organised by Shecvale non-governmental organisation outside the Parliament of Georgia on Rustaveli Avenue.
Protesters asked the Georgian government to not recognise the results of the presidential elections in Belarus earlier this month that sparked demonstrations across the country. Their banners read "help us in taking back the elections stolen by the dictator".
Nika Parulava, member of the Shecvale organisation, told reporters a non-recognition of the elections would have been "the correct diplomatic step" by the Georgian government and added the Tbilisi rally was part of an international campaign involving around 45 countries.
Protests have been ongoing in Belarus following the elections on August 9. The results of the elections were not recognised by the European Union.
Georgian workers employed in industrial professions have released an address expressing solidarity with their colleagues in Belarus, as protests in the country continue following elections earlier this month.
President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili has responded to ongoing events in Belarus by releasing a statement expressing hope the country's "democratic and European future" is not harmed in the process.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia has clarified the purpose of a flight from Georgia to Belarus on August 16, stating that the Ambassador of Georgia to Belarus, Valeri Kvaratskhelia, had to take the flight 'due to the recent events in Belarus'.
Georgian book publishers have released a message of support for Nobel Prize laureate Svetlana Alexievich, as the internationally renowned author was summoned for questioning in Minsk on Wednesday.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry has responded to the recent detention of 26-year-old Belarussian activist, journalist and blogger Roman Protasevich by the Belarusian government at a Minsk airport late yesterday, stating that the ‘forcible detention is completely unacceptable.’ Belarus forced the plane, which was flying from Athens to Lithuania, to land in Minsk claiming there was a bomb threat to the aircraft.
Protest rally in support of detained Belarusian activist, journalist and blogger Roman Protasevich was held at the Embassy of Belarus in Tbilisi yesterday.
The Georgian State Security Service (SSS) says that the recent criticism over its agreement with the State Security Committee (KGB) of Belarus against terrorism and corruption is caused by ‘disinformation’ and aims to discredit Georgian security and law enforcement agencies.