“Freedom Is Difficult when There Is Murderer in the City” – Manifestation in Support of Political Prisoners

Tako Khutsishvili
Ana Sheshaberidze

On February 18, members and supporters of the Conservative party, People’s Party and Movement for Just Georgia organized protest movement from underground station “Tsereteli” to US “Didube”. Demonstrators demanded to release arbitrarily detained political prisoners.

Kakha Kukava (Conservative Party): “Today, there are 54 political prisoners in Georgia. However, today’s demonstration protests arbitrary detention of those prisoners who were convicted after so-called planting and fabricated charges. We are going to continue demonstrations before the last illegal prisoner is released from prisons. We call upon the families of the prisoners and citizens of Georgia. We are obliged to support these people because we stood together during the demonstrations on April 9, 2009 and then these people were detained.”

“Freedom Is Difficult, When There Is a Murderer in the City,” “Fame of Georgia Requires Justice,” – these are slogans of demonstrators and they wrote them on the asphalt. During manifestation they handed out the photos of political prisoners in Tsereteli Avenue. Organizers stated goal of similar demonstrations is to inform international organizations about current situation in Georgia.

Lasha Chkhartishvili: “It is our moral obligation to support political prisoners because they are people who need support most of all. It is particular topic because it is the first and main sign of Saakashvili’s regime where we live in.”

According to demonstrators, political emigration will hold the demonstration in support of political prisoners on February 25, in Brussels in front of the EU office. After the manifestation, part of participants moved to the Tbilisi City Court where the trial on Tsotne Gamsakhurdia was under way.

“We owe much to the person who announced independence of Georgia. Georgian people should pay Zviad Gamsakhurdia back by preventing Saakashvili to kill his son. We urge everybody to join our rally,” said Kakha Kukava.

Next demonstrations will be held at 12:00 pm on February 25, in front of the Chief Prosecutors’ Office.