Opposition leader Nika Melia and former mayor Gigi Ugulava arrested during a rally in Tbilisi.

Police have cracked down as pro-democracy protests sprang back to life in Georgia.

Several antigovernment protesters, including two opposition leaders, were arrested late on Sunday during a large demonstration against the governing party in the capital Tbilisi. The rally marked a revival of mass protests seen late last year.

Georgians have been protesting daily against the ruling Georgia Dream Party since November, although events had been quieter since the turn of the year. Opposition groups claim that voter fraud helped the governing party to maintain power at elections in October 2024.

They also object to laws they view as authoritarian and claim that Georgian Dream is trying to pull the country back towards Russia, having paused efforts to join the European Union.

The protests returned with renewed momentum on Sunday night as thousands gathered on the northern edge of Tbilisi, blocking a road that leads out of the city.

Nika Melia, the leader of the liberal pro-European Akhali party, and former Tbilisi mayor Gigi Ugulava, a prominent opposition figure, were arrested during the protest.

According to Melia’s lawyer, the opposition leader was “arrested on an administrative offence charge” and released shortly after midnight after signing a promise to appear in court.

The independent TV Pirveli news station aired footage of police brutally beating detained protesters.

Under Ivanishvili’s direct orders, regime escalated violence once again, bringing back full-scale mass repressions alongside targeted retributions, deploying masked forces to brutally punish peaceful protesters – youth, women, and journalists.#GeorgiaProtests #terrorinGeorgia pic.twitter.com/X65Fti6bpl

— Giorgi Gakharia (@GakhariaGiorgi) February 3, 2025

Former prime minister and opposition leader Giorgi Gakharia accused Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, who holds no official position, of “escalat[ing] violence once again [and] bringing back full-scale mass repressions alongside targeted retribution”.

Later, crowds resumed their protests outside the parliament in the centre of Tbilisi, where smaller events have been held in recent weeks.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned the actions of the authorities, writing on X on Sunday night that the “brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters, journalists and politicians” was “unacceptable”.

“Georgia falls short of any expectation from a candidate country. The EU stands with the people of Georgia in their fight for freedom and democracy,” she added.

The brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters, journalists and politicians tonight in Tbilisi is unacceptable.

Georgia falls short of any expectation from a candidate country.

The EU stands with the people of Georgia in their fight for freedom and democracy.

— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) February 2, 2025

Alongside protesters accusing the governing party of rigging the October election, demonstrators are also angry about the government’s decision to postpone EU accession talks until 2028.

The goal of joining the EU was first adopted as part of Georgia’s constitution in 2017.

Last week, Brussels suspended visa-free travel to the EU for Georgian diplomats and officials, citing the adoption of several repressive laws and the “violent repression by Georgian authorities against peaceful protesters, politicians, and independent media”.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, during the first wave of protests in November, riot police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowds, arresting more than 400 people.

Georgian rights activists have also slammed what they refer to as a campaign of intimidation against those protesting.

Source

:

Al Jazeera and news agencies