100 Days of Protests: Tbilisi Rally
On March 7, marking the 100th day of continuous pro-European rallies, several marches took place on the streets of Tbilisi, converging on Rustaveli Avenue toward the Parliament building.
A march of architects set off from the Tbilisi City Hall building. At the same time, students and professors from Tbilisi State University also organized a march, later joined by demonstrators gathered near the Public Broadcasting building.
The fifth President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, remarked, “Standing so firmly for 100 days is already a victory.”
“The Russians have always placed their hopes in winter—to win the Russian winter war… The winter was also exceptionally harsh, and some believed that the frost would extinguish hope. But no! Tomorrow marks 100 days of protest, and spring has arrived.
One hundred days of courage, endurance, mutual respect, politeness, and an extraordinarily peaceful protest. One hundred days of solidarity and love. How tragic that the country has been divided like this: on one side, there is repression, hate speech, insults, beatings, and endless threats—’ I will arrest you, fine you, fire you…’—along with accusations branding everyone as radicals and agents.
On the other side, there is dignity—even when facing a water cannon or an unjust judge. There is solidarity—even in delivering coffee, despite being mercilessly beaten for it. There is immense devotion to the homeland, faith in God—free from the Pharisees’ propaganda—and unwavering belief in the nation. And most importantly, there is love.
A living society endures and ultimately triumphs over a dead regime. The true victory lies in this difference.”
Strong Georgia Secretary General and Party Members Arrested and Released Within Hours
The Secretary General of Strong Georgia Coalition, Irakli Kupradze, along with party youth wing members Oto Parulava, Beka Beridzishvili, and Juba Loladze, have been released after their brief detention.
According to Kupradze, Beka Beridzishvili was fined 2,000 GEL, and his laser pointer was confiscated. Meanwhile, a case has been opened against Kupradze and two other party members.
“We were heading home from the rally when a patrol car stopped us on Varaziskhevi. Soon after, another car with tinted windows arrived, followed by two more patrol cars. From the very beginning, it was clear they intended to detain us, and they took us away. The real reason behind this is Ivanishvili’s fear of the laser, which merely illuminated the Parliament building, counted the days, and, most importantly, encouraged citizens on Rustaveli Avenue. We are free, but the laser remains in custody,“ Kupradze told TV Pirveli.
On the night of March 7, Kupradze went live on social media, broadcasting as a police car arrived. The police officers informed them that they had the right to stop them, check their documents, inspect their car, and conduct a search.
Representatives of Lithuania, Norway, and Britain Attend Hearing in Mzia Amaglobeli’s Case
The latest trial of Mzia Amaglobeli at the Batumi City Court was attended by Lithuanian Ambassador Darius Vitkauskas, along with representatives from the Norwegian and British embassies.
Shalva Papuashvili, a leading member of the Georgian Dream party, criticized the Lithuanian ambassador’s presence in the courtroom, calling it “pressure on the judge and a calculated threat.” Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze also condemned the diplomatic presence, labelling it “interference in the independence of the judiciary.”
Before the hearing, GYLA (Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association) Chairwoman Nona Kurdovanidze told TV Pirveli that the charges and legal proceedings against Mzia Amaglobeli were based on falsified data. “Everything indicates that there is a deliberate effort to punish Mzia Amaglobeli as an example,” she stated.
According to GYLA, the court fully granted the prosecution’s motion, effectively undermining Amaglobeli’s defence. The judge removed 17 witnesses, 18 pieces of video evidence, 13 inspection reports, and 14 written pieces of evidence from the defence’s list. As a result, Judge Viktor Metreveli deprived Amaglobeli of the right to properly defend herself and failed to ensure her right to a fair trial.
Mzia Amaglobeli was arrested on January 11 on charges of attacking Batumi Police Chief Irakli Dgebuadze. On January 14, Batumi City Court Judge Nino Ismashvili upheld the prosecution’s request and ordered Amaglobeli to be held in pretrial detention.
Amaglobeli had been on a hunger strike for 38 days. However, on February 18, it was reported that she had begun restoring her nutrition with medical assistance.