Georgia: Police Detained Around 20 Protesters

The solidarity rally for jailed journalists was held amid steady stream of detentions in recent days, and turned tense when demonstrators again blocked Rustaveli Avenue, the city’s main thoroughfare.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the detainees were arrested under administrative law for attempting to obstruct traffic illegally. A young woman who reportedly climbed onto a police car and verbally confronted officers was charged with hooliganism – a criminal offense.

Administrative penalties are a fast-track form of justice left over from the Soviet Union’s which after a recent amendment allows quickly imprisoning someone for up to 15 days.

The protest, which began around 8 pm, saw demonstrators lying down on the street and chanting “Fire to oligarchy”, as police repeatedly ordered them to move to the sidewalk. Officers formed a cordon in front of the parliament building to prevent further attempts to block the road. Traffic was later restored, though the rally continued on the adjacent sidewalks.