“Saturday march” in Tbilisi: “Abkhazia is Georgia” and solidarity with Ukraine. Video podcast “Protests in Georgia”
Pro-European marches in Tbilisi
Another pro-European “Saturday march” took place in Tbilisi on 26 September. This time, its focus was the Georgian-Abkhaz war of the early 1990s, specifically the tragic date of 27 September 1993.
It marks 33 years since the fall of Sukhumi, when Georgian forces were retreating from Abkhazia.
Hundreds of marchers chanted “Abkhazia is Georgia” and spoke of Russia’s occupation of Georgian territories. Many speakers expressed solidarity with Ukrainian fighters currently fighting Russian occupiers.
For more than a year and half – since November 2024 – continuous protests have been taking place in Georgia, with demonstrators demanding that the country return to the path of European integration. The results of the parliamentary elections held in autumn 2024 are still not recognised by part of Georgian society.
Every evening thousands, and often tens of thousands, gather in Tbilisi and several other cities. Over this time dozens of participants have been detained, many have faced criminal charges, and some have been sentenced to prison terms.
For the first time in the history of independent Georgia, the country has up to 150 prisoners of conscience, including women. Among them is Mzia Amaglobeli, founder of the popular outlets Batumelebi and Netgazeti.
In 2025 she was sentenced to two years in prison for slapping a police officer. Protesters demand the release of all political prisoners and the repeal of all anti-democratic laws adopted over the past two years.
To suppress the protests, the ruling Georgian Dream party has increasingly tightened repression against civil society and the media. However, protests in various forms continue.
News in Georgia video
