Police deployed to ensure public order as UNM rally begins in central Tbilisi
The United National Movement opposition party is holding a rally in central Tbilisi now. Photo: netgazeti.
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Georgian law enforcers are present at various locations in central Tbilisi in the evening to ensure peace during the United National Movement (UNM) rally which began at 6 p.m. and where demonstrators are demanding the release of former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili from prison.
The UNM claims that ‘thousands of protestors’ are attending the demonstration and that a number of people have joined the rally from Georgian regions ‘despite provocations on the roads staged by the ruling party activists.’
The demonstrators initially gathered on central Orbeliani and Republic squares and then marched to Freedom Square.
Saakashvili, who was detained in Tbilisi on October 1, a day before Georgian municipal elections, has called on the public to join the rally, ‘which is not for me, but for the country’s future.’
If my life will not be sufficient to save the country (from the Georgian Dream leadership) then I am ready to die for this,” Saakashvili told the opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi earlier today.
A fire broke out at Rustavi Prison No.17 earlier today which is quite close to Prison No.12 in the same city where Saakashvili is serving his term.
We offer you the continuation of our exclusive interview with @SaakashviliM
— Mtavari TV (@MtavariChannel) October 14, 2021
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According to preliminary reports, the fire broke out in the prison dinery and no one has been injured in the incident, neither the fire spread to other prisons.
Georgian PM Irakli Garibashvili commented on the rally earlier today and said that ‘what Georgia needs now is peace and concentration on the issues which are crucial to the country’s further development.’
He reiterated that Saakashvili returned to Georgia, after eight years in political exile, ‘with a single goal - to spark tension, destabilisation, and even to commit murder.’
Saakashvili, who is a citizen of Ukraine and chairs the Executive Committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council, wishes to be released from prison before municipal election run-offs on October 30 in which the ruling party and the UNM candidates will compete in 17 of 20 mayoral and majoritarian constituencies.
The former president was convicted in Georgia in absentia in 2018 and was sentenced to six years in prison for abuse of authority.
He has also been charged with four other offences related to the illegal seizure of property, embezzlement, illegal rally dispersal, and illegal border-crossing.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili commented on the rally of the United National Movement (UNM) later today, saying that ‘what Georgia needs now is peace and concentration on the issues which are crucial to the country’s further development.’ The UNM is holding a rally in central Tbilisi at 6 p.m. today to demand the release of former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili from prison.
A number of people in western Georgian cities are standing along the highway with brooms to protest the United National Movement (UNM) rally in Tbilisi later today, where demonstrators will demand the release of former president Mikheil Saakashvili from prison.
The Lelo and European Georgia opposition parties have refused to join a rally planned by the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party in central Tbilisi tomorrow, where demonstrators intend to demand the release of former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili from prison.
Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria says that the country’s ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili is receiving ‘proper attention’ in Rustavi Prison No.12 and that ‘no violations of his rights’ have been reported so far by her representatives in terms of Saakashvili’s living conditions.
A protest rally organized by the opposition United National Movement (UNM) in central Tbilisi demanding the release of ex-president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, who was detained on October 1 a day before the municipal elections has ended.
The United Nations Movement (UNM) plans to hold ‘large rallies’ in all large cities in Georgia, during which demonstrators will demand the release of former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili from prison, UNM member Levan Bezhashvili said earlier today.
Ruling party MP and Vice Parliament Speaker Gia Volski has responded to the protest rally organised by the largest opposition party, United National Movement (UNM), stating that ‘the number of people gathered at the rally proved nothing to me.’ The UNM and its supporters demanded the release of former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who was arrested on October 1, the day before municipal elections in the country took place.
Former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili has released a letter from Rustavi Prison No. 12 earlier today and asked emigrants to return to Georgia ‘for a week, by the end of the month’ to take part in a ‘decisive battle.’
Police have arrested two protesters at a rally in support of jailed former President Mikheil Saakashvili in front of the government administration building earlier today. Demonstrators demanding the release of Saakashvili attempted to draw graffiti reading 'Freedom to Misha' in front of the building, which resulted in a clash between protesters and officers.
Politician Gigi Ugulava, the United National Movement’s mayoral candidate for the port city of Poti, will be fined for breaking quarantine rules. Ugulava, who tested positive for COVID-19 on October 7, attended the UNM rally yesterday, delivering a speech without wearing a face mask.