Opposition criticizes Georgian authorities after riots in Tbilisi

Thirteen Georgian oppositional parties have issued a joint appeal, in which they criticized the Georgian authorities, reproaching them for encouraging mass violence during the riots in Tbilisi; they have also stated the intentional police’s inaction.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 1-5, in Tbilisi, activists of the LGBT community held the "LGBT Week", which they planned to end with a “March of Dignity” in the city centre. On July 5, several hundred opponents of the gay parade blocked Rustaveli Avenue and attacked journalists. The organizers of the "March of Dignity" ultimately abandoned the action altogether.

"In this most difficult situation, we treat it as a duty of any conscientious citizen to defend civil liberties and the future of the Georgian state on our own," the “Georgia Online” quoted in the evening on July 5 the joint statement of the Georgian opposition.

The oppositionists have also stressed that it is necessary "to concentrate on the change of power and to clearly dissociate from any violent ‘Black Hundred’ groups," the “Sputnik Georgia” reported at night on July 6. The statement was signed by the "United National Movement" (UNM), "European Georgia", "Girchi-More Freedom", "Droa", "Free Democrats", "Progress and Freedom", "Democratic Movement-United Georgia", "Law and Justice", "Strategy of Agmashenebeli", "Civil Alliance for Freedom", "Christian Democratic Movement", "For Justice" and "Winning Georgia" Parties, the “Sputnik Georgia” has noted.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 6, 2021 at 07:15 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.