2 weeks ago
Dozens of group person been arrested successful Georgia aft constabulary successful nan superior utilized tear state and h2o cannons to disperse protesters who rallied extracurricular Parliament to protestation a arguable measure which they reason limits media freedom.
Georgia's Interior Ministry said 63 group were arrested Tuesday while they took portion successful a objection successful Tbilisi. Levan Khabeishvili, an guidance MP, posted a image of himself connected his societal media accounts pinch a bloodied look and dense bruising. Members of his statement said he had been assaulted by police.
Those arrested were taking portion successful nan latest successful a bid of protests against a measure which would require media and non-commercial organizations to registry arsenic "pursuing nan interests of a overseas power" if they get much than 20% of their backing from abroad.
GEORGIA PARLIAMENT ADVANCES CONTROVERSIAL 'RUSSIAN LAW' TARGETING MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS
The protesters person denounced it arsenic "the Russian law" because Moscow uses akin authorities to stigmatize independent news media and organizations captious of nan Kremlin.
It is akin to a measure that nan ruling Georgian Dream statement projected and past withdrew nether unit past twelvemonth aft ample thoroughfare protests.
If nan measure is adopted, protesters are concerned that it will let nan authorities to much heavy power nan media abstraction arsenic good arsenic derailing integration pinch nan EU aft Georgia was granted campaigner position successful December 2023.
Demonstrators scuffle pinch riot constabulary during an guidance protestation against "the Russian law" adjacent nan Parliament building successful Tbilisi, Georgia, connected Wednesday, May 1, 2024. Clashes erupted betwixt constabulary and guidance demonstrators protesting a caller measure intended to way overseas power that nan guidance denounced arsenic Russia-inspired. (AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze)
"We do not want nan Soviet authorities that our parents person experienced," Kato Salukvadze, a protester, told The Associated Press, adding, "I deliberation that everyone should beryllium successful nan streets and opportunity nary to nan Russian rule and yes to Europe."
Police moved to break up nan protestation precocious Tuesday aft demonstrators tried to artifact nan entrances to Parliament successful bid to forestall lawmakers from leaving.
Georgia's Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze said astatine a briefing Wednesday that nan protesters and leaders of nan guidance statement were "constantly committing violence." Darakhvelidze alleged that Khabeishvili, nan guidance MP, collapsed done a constabulary cordon and was injured while "he resisted."
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Giorgi Vashadze, different guidance politician, said Georgians person nan correct to serene protestation and that nan behaviour of nan ruling statement and rule enforcement agencies is "completely illegal."
Earlier this month, nan parliament endorsed nan measure connected its first reference contempt nan protests. Debate will proceed Wednesday arsenic portion of nan bill's 2nd reading. It must walk 3 readings earlier it tin beryllium adopted.
Georgia’s President Salome Zourabichvili has harshly criticized nan measure and vowed to veto it if it is passed by parliament. The ruling party, however, tin override her veto and past nan parliament speaker tin motion it into law.
