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Activists of the Movement “Join Us” Joined the List of Political Prisoners

July 22, 2009

Tako Khutsishvili

Rally in front of the parliament on July 20 ended with the detention of several activists of the youth movement “Join Us”. The detainees are blamed for disobedience to policemen and minor hooliganism.

“Administrative Collegium of the Tbilisi City Court imposed imprisonment on the detainees for minor hooliganism and disobedience to policemen in front of the Parliament of Georgia. Anzor Bibineishvili will spend 13 days in the detention setting; Giorgi Berulava-12 days; Melor Vachnadze-14 days; Tengiz Doborjginidze - 12 days; Badri Gogia - 14 days and Giorgi Devnozashvili was fined with 400 GEL,” it is written in the official statement of the MIA.

According to the organizers of the rally the demonstration was peaceful and did not carry any features of violence. “Our protest demonstration started at 7:00 pm; we were sitting at the entrance to the parliament and were expressing our protest to Saakashvili’s arrival at the parliament. 5 minutes later the group of Gegechkori (Head of Tbilisi Police Department) and Grigalashvili (head of Patrol Police Department of Georgia) arrived and pushed part of our demonstrators towards the Kashueti Church and another part to the Youth Palace. As for the activists who were in Chitadze Street at the entrance to the parliament, they were arrested,” said Zuka Chachanidze, head of the youth movement.

Friends of the detainees state that the patrol and riot policemen pushed them into cars and took to the police station. During the incident the activists were slightly injured. Zuka Chachanidze is particularly worried about the health conditions of Anri Bibineishvili who has psychic problems and is afraid that Anri will not be able to endure the stress of detention. Members of the movement say that the detainees are placed in the basements in unbearable conditions, where neither water nor sewerage systems are in order.

Youth Movement “Democratic League” expresses its solidarity to the “Join Us”. “Peaceful demonstrators expressed their protest to the president’s visit to the parliament. It was clear that he was coming to the parliament to discuss the imaginary welfare in our country. He makes fund of people because everybody knows that there is no welfare and democracy in Georgia. The human rights are not protected and the protest of young people was quite fair,” said Shota Apkhaidze, head of Democratic League and member of the movement “Protect Georgia. He added that Saakashvili and Merabishvili were discussing the detention of activists three days before.  “Saakashvili did not want to enter the parliament on the background of the protest statements. He wanted to show to Josef Biden that everything is ok in Georgia. The president seems to forget that besides opposition parties there is civil society in Georgia who fights for their rights.”

Despite threats, the members of the movement are not going to give up. “Join Us” will continue peaceful demonstrations in front of the parliament 24 hours a day before their requests are satisfied. They have three requests: release of political prisoners, punishment of perpetrators and veto on the Law on Manifestation.  The members of the youth movement plan large-scale demonstration in regard of Josef Biden’s visit to Georgia. Other youth movements will also join their demonstration.

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