**Protesters Attacked by Police in Tbilisi**
On Sunday afternoon, dozens of protesters were brutally attacked and arrested by police near the Tbilisi Mall. The crowd had gathered to block a highway into Tbilisi. The head of the Interior Ministry’s Special Task Forces unit, Zviad Kharazishvili, was personally involved in the violence.
Video footage shows Kharazishvili swearing at the protesters through a loudspeaker. Public Defender Levan Ioseliani issued a statement saying that the police used excessive force against citizens, journalists, and politicians. He described the situation as “disturbing”.
**GD Government Cracks Down on Protests**
The GD government added highways to the list of strategic facilities, making it a crime for protesters to block them. This comes ahead of a planned protest on February 2, which will attempt to block a highway into Tbilisi.
Police searched the homes of several activists involved in the protests. The government has been cracking down on opposition forces and civil society organizations.
**Opposition Forces Condemn Police Violence**
Georgia’s four main opposition forces issued a joint appeal calling for the withdrawal of recognition from Russian-occupied Abkhazia and South Ossetia. They expressed support for the new leader in Syria and condemned the GD government’s stance on the issue.
GD Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze welcomed President Trump’s decision to suspend foreign funding, saying it would contribute to a stable development of the country. He also accused the former U.S. administration of financing “revolutionary processes and unrest” in Georgia.
**International Developments**
Sergei Kiriyenko, First Deputy Chief of Staff of Putin’s Administration, visited occupied Abkhazia, meeting with de-facto leader Valery Bganba and other officials. There are rumors that Kiriyenko is a new curator of the occupied region.
The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association issued a critical assessment of alleged amendments to diplomatic service regulations introduced by GD Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili.
**Human Rights Concerns**
A report by Transparency International Georgia provides an analysis of the case against opposition activist Saba Skhvitaridze, concluding that the investigation is a deliberate fabrication and politically motivated. TI-Georgia claims the case represents a coordinated effort by law enforcement to persecute Skhvitaridze for his opposition activities.
**Read More**
For more information on these developments, visit civil.ge.
