Georgian opposition party leader calls government handling of epidemic "a show"

The leader of the Georgian political movement Girchi Zurab Japaridze and a group of like-minded people were fined 3,000 lari [about $1,000] and brought to the police station for organizing a demonstration demanding the state of emergency and curfew be cancelled.

The demonstration took place on the territory of the former hippodrome.

On April 23, 420 cases of coronavirus infection were confirmed in Georgia. 107 people recovered. 5 have passed away. 5,148 people are in quarantine, 572 – under monitoring. A state of emergency in Georgia was announced on March 21 and will last till May 10.

“We protest against the absurd extension of the state of emergency. The authorities have been trying to capitalize politically on the situation, pretending to have put up a fierce fight against the epidemic.

“By May 22, there will be no vaccine, the virus itself will not have disappeared, nor will people get immunity because they are sitting at home. Talking about some peak of the epidemic is a fairy tale,” said Zurab Japaridze.

About 20 people took part in the protest.

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As explained by the Georgian Interior Ministry, the protesters were fined for violating the state of emergency regulation prohibiting three or more persons from gathering together.

Several participants were escorted to the police station for identification.

The first case of coronavirus infection in Georgia was recorded on February 26, 2020. A state of emergency was declared in Georgia on March 21.

There is a curfew throughout the country – from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.