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2024 Georgian post-election protests

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2024 Georgian post-election protests
Protests following 2024 parliamentary election
Date28 October 2024 – present (2 months)
Location
Georgia (Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi, Zugdidi, Telavi and other cities)
Diaspora: Various cities in European Union and United States.
Caused by
Goals
  • Annulling the disputed parliamentary and presidential election results
  • New parliamentary and presidential elections with a neutral election administration and guarantees of politically neutral law enforcement
  • Immediate release of all detainees and political prisoners from the rallies, along with the dismissal of all charges against them[1]
MethodsDemonstrations, sit-ins, student protest, civil disobedience, online activism, traffic obstruction, use of pyrotechnics[2]
StatusOngoing
Parties
Lead figures
Number
Protesters: around 200,000 (peak)[6]
Law enforcement officers: unclear
Casualties
Injuries400+ detained protesters reported injuries from police violence (28 November – 7 December)[7]
70+ journalists (28 November – 10 December)[8]
Arrested500 protestors (28 November – 5 December)[9]

On 28 October 2024, protests began in Georgia after the preliminary official results were announced of the parliamentary election of 26 October. The ruling Georgian Dream won the majority of seats in parliament according to those results. The demonstrators claimed that the elections were fraudulent, and demanded a recount and a new election.

A string of protests and legal challenges against the election outcome took place in the following months and saw an escalation when the government announced on 28 November that it would postpone the European Union accession process until the end of 2028. This decision occurred against the background of Georgians' high levels of trust in the EU.[10]

Police and ruling party-affiliated violent groups engaged in widespread violence and torture against protesters and journalists.[11][12][13][14] Evidence circulated on social media indicating violence by Titushky.[15] The Public Defender of Georgia found that the type and severity of injuries intentionally inflicted on protesters "constitutes an act of torture".[16]

Chronology

[edit]

First wave (28 October–25 November)

[edit]

On 28 October, tens of thousands of protesters rallied in Tbilisi to protest the results of the recent parliamentary elections, which President Salome Zourabichvili criticized as rife with irregularities.[17] Addressing the crowd, Zourabichvili claimed the ruling Georgian Dream party employed tactics akin to those used in Russia, arguing that the election results did not accurately reflect voters' intentions. Officially, Georgian Dream was reported to have won over 54 percent of the vote, securing the parliamentary majority.[17] President Zourabichvili, in her address, reassured demonstrators, stating, "You did not lose the election. They stole your vote and tried to steal your future".[17]

Protest on 28 October 2024
Opposition leaders and president Zourabichvili addressed the crowd at the parliament building

Election observers said instances of intimidation and other violations were particularly noticeable in rural areas. In those areas, Georgian Dream received up to 90 percent of the vote according to the results, suggesting a possible scheme to favor Georgian Dream in those areas.[17] The European Union, several of its members like Germany and France, and the United States called for an investigation into these allegations. The ambassador of the European Union to Georgia Paweł Herczyński stated that "international observers have not declared the elections to be free and fair. Neither have they declared the contrary".[18][19]

The European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell called on the Central Election Commission of Georgia (CEC) to "swiftly, transparently and independently investigate and adjudicate electoral irregularities and allegations thereof".[20] The President of the European Council Charles Michel stated that the allegations of irregularities "must be seriously clarified and addressed".[21] Meanwhile, Hungary, China, and Turkey congratulated Georgian Dream on their victory in the election.[22][23] On 30 October, the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia launched an investigation into the election fraud allegations.[24]

On 4 November, opposition parties in Tbilisi staged another rally outside the Georgian parliament, unveiling a strategy to contest the election results. Prior to that rally, a large group, including opposition leaders, marched from the central railway station through the city to Rustaveli Avenue and the parliament. At the rally the pro-Western opposition claimed once again the vote of 26 October was "stolen", rejected the results and called for non-recognition of the legitimacy of the newly elected parliament. They demanded new elections to be carried out under international supervision and announced daily protests as part of a campaign of "resistance" that should expand nationwide.[25][26]

Protest on 4 November 2024
Opposition leaders marched through Tbilisi and addressed the crowd at parliament
Opposition leaders Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze at protest at the Tbilisi Court of Appeals where cases on election violations were handled on 5 November 2024.

Opposition leaders said the protests would intensify over time and urged supporters to gather across Tbilisi in large numbers to obstruct parliament access and maintain visible pressure on authorities. They also called for continuous efforts to gather evidence of vote rigging and manipulation.[25][26] Meanwhile, Transparency International Georgia reported on several instances of electoral misconduct during the elections, including unauthorized voting with confiscated IDs, which they partly attributed to negligence by the Central Election Commission (CEC).[27] A day later, the opposition protested at the Tbilisi Court of Appeal and marched through Tbilisi afterwards, hindering traffic.[28] The Appeals court began the review of cases on election violations, which were ruled by lower district courts in favor of the opposition claims.

On 12 November, another protest was held in front of parliament, where speeches were delivered by the chairpersons of the foreign relations committees of Germany, Finland, Sweden, France, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland.[29][30] Prior to the protest, they also held meetings with President Zourabichvili.[31]

On 14 November, students at Batumi State University went on strike, accusing the election administration of aligning with the Georgian Dream and demanding new elections. After occupying the university, they faced heating and electricity cuts but continued their protest outside, urging nationwide support. Solidarity protests spread to Tbilisi, with students from Ilia State University, Tbilisi State University, Caucasus University, the Medical University, and GIPA joining, while universities in Kutaisi also expressed support.[32]

On 15 November, a court in Tbilisi dismissed 11 lawsuits filed by opposition parties and civil society groups questioning the conduct of the election, during which the CEC was the defendant.[33] As the CEC officially certified the result the next day, its chair, Giorgi Kalandarishvili, was doused with black paint by CEC commissioner David Kirtadze, a member of the opposition United National Movement, who said that the official results of the vote did not reflect the electorate's "true choice".[34]

On 17 November, a large rally took place in front of the Parliament building, while the Coalition for Change (CfC), initiated a parallel protest near Tbilisi State University on Chavchavadze Avenue. The group blocked the avenue, set up tents, and announced a 24-hour sit-in. The protest remained peaceful as activists erected tents, with police refraining from intervention. By evening, demonstrators from Rustaveli Avenue joined the group at the university.[35]

However, tensions escalated on 19 November, when police forcefully dismantled the protest camp at dawn. At least 16 people were arrested, including a cameraman for the opposition television channel Mtavari Arkhi. Despite the initial setback, protesters regrouped and reclaimed Chavchavadze Avenue by the evening.[36]

On 18 November, Zourabichvili filed a lawsuit with Constitutional Court, seeking to annul the results of the election. A statement from her office declared the election results "unconstitutional," citing violations of the principles of universality and secrecy.[37][38]

Later, outrage erupted after riot police were let into Tbilisi State University and used it as a staging ground for dispering peaceful protesters on 19 November, sparking accusations that the university was enabling the crackdown. Student Movements and lecturers demanded the Rector's resignation, accusing TSU of betraying academic values. While the Interior Ministry denied using TSU as a base, protests and condemnation from professors and students across Georgia continued, highlighting TSU's alleged lack of independence under the Georgian Dream government.[39] Several activists and students from different universities entered TSU's main campus as part of the ongoing protest and started a strike demanding resignation.[40] The new parliament held its inaugural session on 25 November, with only 88 MPs from Georgian Dream in attendance. President Zourabichvili boycotted the session, while protests continued outside the parliament building.[41] Constitutional experts said the self-inauguration of Parliament without the president calling this session is in violation of the constitution, challenging the legitimacy of parliament and calling it a "power grab".[42][43] According to the Georgian constitution, it is the president's task to call the inaugural session of parliament. She refused to do so as she rejected the election results as rigged, questioning the legitimacy of parliament.[44] President Zourabichvili called the convocation of parliament "unconstitutional",[45] while the chair of the parliament Shalva Papuashvili accused Zourabichvili of violating constitution in response, saying that according to constitution the new parliament must be convened no later than 10 days after official announcement of results by the Central Election Commission.[46]

Second wave (28 November–present)

[edit]
Riot police in a phalanx formation.

On 28 November, the new convocation of the Parliament of Georgia confirmed the government of Irakli Kobakhidze, who made several changes to its composition.[47] The official program was titled "Towards Europe with Peace, Dignity, and Prosperity", which the ruling party adopted as a slogan during the pre-election campaign with its emphasis on "joining the European Union only whilst playing by Georgian rules, avoiding being drawn into Russo-Ukrainian war and preserving the traditional values".[48][49][50] On the same day, the European Parliament passed the resolution demanding the new elections in Georgia "under international supervision". It called on the European Commission to impose sanctions on the leaders of the Georgian government.[51] In the evening, Kobakhidze held a press briefing. He announced the unilateral suspension of EU accession, as well as rejecting any budgetary grants and loans from the EU until 2028. Kobakhidze said that EU accession and grants had been used as a "naked instrument of blackmail" by EU bodies such as the European Parliament, citing the resolutions adopted by the EP in the past years regarding Georgia. He condemned "interference by some European politicians and bureaucrats in parliamentary elections", as well as their alleged "attempts to incite revolution in Georgia". Kobakhidze said that Georgia would continue implementing the Georgia—European Union Association Agreement, and would revive the topic of opening the accession negotiations with the European Union in 2028, after strengthening its economy.[52] Hours later, Russian president Vladimir Putin praised the move, saying he "admired [the administration's] courage and character, which they showed when defending their point of view".[13] The protests against the decision began in front of the Georgian parliament building during the same day and continued during several days, primarily in Tbilisi but also in other cities including Batumi, Poti, Zugdidi, and Kutaisi.[13][53]

Protesters using fireworks to deter riot police from advancing on Rustaveli Avenue on 3 December 2024.

The parliament also set a date for the 2024 Georgian presidential election on 14 December. After the 2017 constitutional reform, the president is no longer elected by popular vote, but instead through a 300-member Electoral College, including all 150 MPs, all representatives from the supreme councils of the Abkhazian and Adjaran autonomous republics, and local bodies.[54][55] Georgian Dream, holding a majority in the Electoral College, nominated Mikheil Kavelashvili, a member of its ally People's Power, to the presidency.[56] Zourabichvili, the last president to be elected by popular vote,[56] rejected the legitimacy of the current parliament and said that she would not step down as president "until the legitimate parliament is elected that will legitimately elect [a replacement]".[57] Kobakhidze responded by saying "of course on 29 December she'll have to leave".[58]

The protests were marked by widespread violence against protesters and journalists by the police.[13][12] Some police officers were injured.[59] RFE/RL journalist Tamuna Chkareuli reported that she had "never experienced this level of aggression from the police before".[60] Amnesty International stated that "this recurring pattern of violence and human rights violations, well-documented since last year's protests, reveals the Georgian government's strategy to deploy the full machinery of the state to punish and suppress dissent".[12]

Meanwhile, Kobakhidze said that protestors, not police, are responsible for "systemic violence".[58] He called the protests "violent demonstrations" while alleging the involvement of "foreign entities",[61] including saying that the protests are funded from abroad.[13] Some people, initially identified as protestors, were recorded attacking the police with Molotov cocktails and pyrotechnic devices.[62] Late in December, a high ranking defector from the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs claimed that the authorities paid 500 to 1000 GEL to provocateurs to throw objects at the riot police, with the aim of demonizing the protests.[63] Police used tear gas, rubber bullets, and pepper spray,[64] as well as water cannons that protestors and journalists allege were laced with chemicals or allergens.[65][66] Georgian rights ombudsman Levan Ioseliani said that injuries sustained by protestors give a "credible impression" of punitive violence by police that "constitutes an act of torture".[66] On 2 December, the Minister of Internal Affairs stated that 224 protestors were arrested in the preceding days, with charges including petty hooliganism and disobeying lawful police orders, and that 113 police officers had been injured since 28 November.[59]

On 2 December, opposition leader Zurab Japaridze was arrested. He was released a few hours later.[67] As an MP, he has immunity from arrest and prosecution.[67] The Coalition for Change (CfC), an alliance that includes Japaridze's party Girchi – More Freedom, viewed Japaridze's detention as having been a "conscious, targeted move" by the authorities.[68] On 4 December another opposition leader, Nika Gvaramia, was arrested.[69] The CfC said that he was "thrown into a detention car as he was physically assaulted and unconscious".[69]

Protest in front of parliament.

On 8 December, Salome Zourabichvili met with US President-elect Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. She shared details of the meeting on X, highlighting an "in-depth discussion" about the rigged election and the "alarming repression" in Georgia. Zourabichvili emphasized the need for a strong US and expressed gratitude for Trump's support, calling him a friend to the Georgian people. Zourabichvili also met with Elon Musk, who had been appointed by Trump to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency. She described the exchange as excellent and expressed anticipation for Musk's visit to Georgia. During her time in Paris, Zourabichvili also held discussions with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the ongoing situation in Georgia.[70]

On 13 December, Parliament approved the final reading of a bill prohibiting the wearing of masks and the use of fireworks and laser pointers during protests. The new legislation also introduced stricter regulations on fireworks in Georgia, requiring a license for their export, import, and sale.[71]

The protests continued daily during mid and late December. On 18 December these included protests in front of the Parliament building and throughout Tbilisi.[72] On 25 December, the 28th day of successive daily protests, the protests included marches called the "Women's March", the "Western Alumni March", the "Insurance Sector March" and "Unity March". Zourabichvili participated in the Women's March.[73]

Presidential proposal to organise a new election

[edit]
This section is an excerpt from Next Georgian parliamentary election.[edit]
In late December 2024, Zourabichvili stated that a new election was needed and that the process of preparing a new election would have to be done by 29 December 2024.[74] She invited Georgian Dream (GD) founder Bidzina Ivanishvili to negotiate the procedure.[75] She stated that a council would be created if Ivanishvili refused to negotiate.[76] On 24 December she discussed procedures for a new election with leaders of the four main opposition coalitions and non-governmental organisations.[77]

Repression

[edit]

According to Amnesty International, as of 13 December 2024, 300 out of 460 detainees had been tortured or otherwise ill-treated by the security forces. Eighty detainees had been hospitalised with severe injuries including fractured bones, concussions and other head injuries. As of 13 December 2024, the courts had "largely ignored" the evidence of torture and fair trial rights. Amnesty described the police and justice system as "appear[ing] weaponized to intimidate, harass and crackdown on protestors and silence peaceful dissent, reflecting institutionalized repression". Amnesty presented its own 13 case studies of injured protestors and its analysis based on interviews, document analysis and photo and video documentation.[78]

On 18 December, the Public Defender of Georgia stated that his representatives had visited 327 detainees, among which 225 stated that they had been ill-treated, and 157 had visible signs of physical injuries. Representatives from Transparency International Georgia, Georgian European Orbit and Rule of Law Center stated that Georgian Dream had "planned the systemic torture of peaceful demonstrators", with a "system of torture [planned] in advance". They stated that detainees had been "beaten in the face, head, eye sockets, ribs, [and] kidneys" and that the detainees had been robbed of personal belongings by the security forces.[79]

As of 19 December 2024, 70 journalists had been attacked in the protests. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) described the attacks as "systematic, organised violence" by the Georgian police that appeared to be coordinated with "masked, unidentified groups". RSF stated that investigations into the violence announced by the Georgian Special Investigation Service "offer[ed] little hope for accountability" due to its "chronic ineffectiveness".[80]

On 24 December, following interviews with twelve victims of police violence, Human Rights Watch stated that the police violence was "widespread and apparently punitive" against "largely peaceful protestors". Among the victims were Avtandil Kuchava, who lost consciousness twice from beatings to the head by police officers and had his shoulder fractured by one of them. Poet Zviad Ratiani was dragged through the street, taken into a police car and repeatedly beaten during the dragging and in the car. Journalist Aleksandre Keshelashvili, wearning a press vest and helmet, was kicked and beaten by police on 29 November, resulting in concussion and a broken nose.[81]

Reactions

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International

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 United States: According to Washington-based journalist Alex Raufoglu, who cited three Congressional sources on December 22, a bipartisan group of leading U.S. Congress members plans to reintroduce the MEGOBARI Act as early as January. Former Georgian Ambassador to the U.S., Batu Kutelia, also stated that the act would be "the first item on the agenda" when the new Congress reconvenes, following his meeting with Republican Congressperson Joe Wilson, the act's author. Originally introduced in May in response to Georgia's foreign agent law, the MEGOBARI Act mandates further sanctions against Georgian officials and allocates funding for Georgian media and civil society. The act has garnered strong bipartisan support in Congress.[82]

On 26 December Wilson wrote on X that “President Donald Trump has made it very clear where he stands on the self-professed enemies of America. If Bidzina Ivanishvili goes through with his plan to destroy Georgian democracy on December 29, he should expect a response like he’s never imagined.”[83] He also posted, “Corrupt Bidzina Ivanishvili, a lover of China & Iran and hater of America, is trying to transform Georgia from a democracy into a dictatorship. We must put America First and cut all [funding] to Georgia if that happens.”[84] and questioned Ivanishvili’s actions, writing, “Why did Georgia’s dictator-in-waiting Bidzina Ivanishvili give a contract to build the Anaklia Deep Sea Port to a sanctioned Chinese company? Are you ready for sanctions, Bidzina?”[85]

Roger Wicker, Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services, called on the Biden administration to sanction leaders of the Georgian Dream party and expressed concern that unless urgent action is taken the "Georgian Dream party could actually forcibly remove the democratically elected President of Georgia from power." He added that "Vladimir Putin would like to have Georgia back...willing to rig elections to have his agents brutally repress the peaceful protests..."[86]

 France: On 11 December, Emmanuel Macron urged the release of protesters "arbitrarily" arrested during a crackdown on demonstrations, in a call with Bidzina Ivanishvili. He condemned police violence and intimidation of civil society, calling for respect for freedom of expression and assembly.[87] On 13 December, Macron reaffirmed support for Georgia's EU aspirations, emphasizing the EU's role in peace and respect for sovereignty. He urged Georgia to fulfill its responsibilities as an EU candidate, protect freedoms, and engage in dialogue among political actors and civil society. Macron expressed confidence in Georgians' commitment to their European future despite challenges like propaganda and intimidation.[88]

 Poland: On December 24, after a conversation with Salome Zourabichvili, Polish President Andrzej Duda wrote on X:  "I spoke with [President Zourabichvili] about the situation in Georgia. I reassured Madam President of my unwavering support for her leadership and the European aspirations of the Georgian people. They have an inalienable right to move towards a united Europe. New elections in accordance with [OSCE/ODIHR] recommendations are the way out of the current crisis."[89]

 OSCE: On 20 December 2024, Albania, Austria, Belgium, and thirty-four other states of the OSCE invoked one of the OSCE's Vienna Mechanism procedures in relation to the reports of human rights violations, including ill-treatment and injuries of detained protestors, interference and violence against journalists, and the impunity of police officers suspected of the violations. The states described their five main concerns as: freedom of peaceful assembly; arbitrary arrest and detention; targeting of political opposition in police raids and arrests; and "mistreatment that may constitute" torture. The states posed eight specific questions regarding investigations and protections of human rights, to be answered within ten days, per the Vienna Mechanism.[90]

Sanctions

[edit]

 Ukraine: On 5 December 2024, Ukraine imposed sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili and 18 of his associates, accusing them of "selling out the interests of Georgia and its people," according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He urged Europe, America, and the rest of the world to take similar decisive and principled actions. The sanctioned individuals include Ivanishvili, the oligarch founder of Georgian Dream; Kakha Kaladze, Tbilisi Mayor and Georgian Dream Secretary General; and Irakli Kobakhidze, the Prime Minister of Georgia. The Ukrainian sanctions include a comprehensive list of restrictive measures, such as asset freezes, travel and visa bans, and restrictions on economic and business activities and transactions.[91]

 United States: On 19 December, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's OFAC sanctioned Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri and Deputy Head of the Special Tasks Department, Mirza Kezevadze, under the Global Magnitsky Act for violent crackdowns on protesters, opposition figures, and journalists throughout 2024. This follows September sanctions against two other officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs' Special Task Department. The Treasury referred to the Special Task Department's use of mass beatings, verbal abuse, and threats of sexual violence to suppress dissent, including targeting journalists and abusing detained protesters. The sanctions were coordinated with the UK, which also sanctioned five individuals for human rights violations in Georgia.[92]

Despite international condemnation, Georgian Dream chairman Irakli Kobakhidze announced plans to award sanctioned officials with Orders of Honour following the inauguration of the party's presidential candidate, Mikheil Kavelashvili.[93] The U.S. State Department indicated further sanctions against Georgian officials remain possible.[94]

On 27 December, the US Department of the Treasury announced financial sanctions against Ivanishvili. Ivanishvili was added to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List.[95] U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Ivanishvili and Georgian Dream of undermining democratic institutions and of "derailing Georgia's Euro-Atlantic future" in favour of Russian interests. He stated, "Ivanishvili and Georgian Dream's actions have eroded democratic institutions, enabled human rights abuses, and curtailed the exercise of fundamental freedoms in Georgia." The sanctions imply the freezing of all assets owned by Ivanishvili within the United States.[96][97]

 United Kingdom: The UK, in coordination with the US, imposed sanctions on five senior Georgian officials for violent attacks on journalists and protesters. These measures, which include travel bans and asset freezes, target Minister of Internal Affairs Vakhtang Gomelauri, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, Tbilisi Police Department Director Sulkhan Tamazashvili, Chief of the Special Tasks Department Zviad Kharazishvili [fr; ru], and Deputy Head of the Special Tasks Department Mileri Lagazauri.[98]

Estonia Latvia Lithuania Baltic States: On 1 December, in response to the crackdown on pro-EU demonstrators, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania announced unilateral sanctions, including travel bans, against 11 Georgian officials, including Ivanishvili, and Gomelauri and his deputies.[99][100]

Name Ukraine United States United Kingdom EstoniaLatviaLithuania Title/Remarks
Bidzina Ivanishvili [101] [99][100] founder of Georgian Dream
Kakha Kaladze [101] Mayor of Tbilisi
Irakli Kobakhidze [101] Prime Minister of Georgia
Grigol Liluashvili [101] head of State Security Service
Otar Partskhaladze [101] former Prosecutor General
Vakhtang Gomelauri [101] [102] [103] [99][100] Minister of Internal Affairs
Aleksandre Darakhvelidze [103] deputy Minister of Internal Affairs
Sulkhan Tamazashvili [103] Tbilisi Police Department Director
Zviad Kharazishvili [fr; ru] [104] [103] [99][100] Chief of the Special Tasks Department
Mileri Lagazauri [104] [103] [99][100] Deputy Head of the Special Tasks Department
Mirza Kezevadze [102] [99][100] Deputy Head of the Special Tasks Department
Konstantine Morgoshia [104] co-founder of Alt-Info
Zurab Makharadze [104] associated with Alt-Info

See also

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References

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