Protests Erupt in Tbilisi Amid Claims of Election Fraud
In a dramatic turn of events, Georgian police violently dispersed a protest at the State University in Tbilisi, arresting several demonstrators who had camped out in tents demanding fresh elections. The unrest stems from claims of widespread fraud during the parliamentary elections held on October 26, which the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party, in power since 2012, won amid accusations of Russian influence.
Video footage from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty revealed police brutally dragging protestors to the ground, including women, and physically assaulting them before making arrests. Among those detained was Sergi Baramidze, a cameraman for the opposition channel Mtavari, who was reportedly beaten and had his camera destroyed. Reports indicated that many individuals suffered injuries during the police crackdown.
Protests have rocked Tbilisi since the elections, with large demonstrations occurring on November 17 and 18, as activists marched through the city center and established makeshift camps in protest of the election outcomes. Many demonstrators spent the nights in sleeping bags and tents despite the cold weather, asserting their demands for a re-evaluation of the electoral process.
Some of the protestors detained during the November 19 incident were released later, one of whom, Maya Gogidze of the opposition party Lelo, described the chaotic circumstances she faced, stating, "I heard a scream as they began dragging participants away one by one. The police acted in groups, grabbing protestors, dragging them away, and moving to the next."
Amid these tensions, President Salome Zurabishvili has stood in solidarity with the protesters, planning to file a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court to challenge the election results. She expressed doubts about the independence of judicial institutions in the country, noting, "This is not because I believe in the Constitutional Court... we all know that no institution in this country is independent any longer."
Zurabishvili, who has refused to recognize the election results as legitimate, calls for a new vote facilitated by a restructured election administration in collaboration with international partners.
Student groups have added their voices to the chorus of dissent, issuing a manifesto that condemned the government’s alleged systematic manipulation of the election process, which they stated was an evident attempt by the Georgian Dream party to consolidate their hold on power.
The protests intensified following the Central Election Commission’s validation of the contested results on November 16, despite widespread accusations of electoral fraud and Russian meddling. The official tally showed Georgian Dream securing 53.93% of the vote, while an opposition coalition received only 37.79%. The session became heated when opposition representative Davit Kirtadze interrupted the proceedings by splashing black liquid on the CEC chief, asserting that the integrity of the ballot was compromised by visible ink through thin paper, an act meant to symbolically highlight the lack of confidentiality in the voting process.
In the wake of these events, the pro-European opposition has decided to boycott the new parliament, rejecting their mandates from the disputed election. Concerns regarding the electoral integrity have echoed throughout the international community, with EU officials expressing their serious doubts about the process and the implications of foreign interference.
As Georgia strives for membership in the European Union, obstacles such as controversial legislation and perceived regression in democratic principles have raised alarm, even prompting the United States to suspend over $95 million in assistance to Georgia, citing concerns over its democratic trajectory.
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