Georgian President slams police actions against activists

President Salome Zourabichvili has publicly condemned the Georgian authorities for their treatment of young activists during recent protests. In a post on social media, she highlighted the case of Lizi Tirkia, a young activist accused of assaulting five police officers during a rally on Melikishvili Avenue. Zourabichvili shared a photo of Tirkia and criticized the police for alleged mistreatment of protesters.

”Crackdown on young Georgian activists: beating by police forces, arrests and threats of sentences up to 7 years.

This girl is accused of having assaulted five policemen,” the President wrote.

Tirkia claims she was contacted by the Special Investigation Service and informed of accusations against her, which she denies. “I got a call… they told me I attacked 5 policemen at the rally, ran away, and hid,” she wrote on Facebook.

Tuesday’s protest saw clashes between police and demonstrators, resulting in the administrative detention of 16 people. Some were released after signing statements, while others faced fines or brief detentions. Additionally, one individual has been charged with attacking police officers.