**Georgian Citizens Being Fined for “Parking” When They Don’t Even Own Cars**
In the latest development in Georgia’s ongoing protests, citizens are being fined GEL 5,000 (about USD 1,800) for allegedly parking improperly. However, some people claim they don’t even own cars. This has raised concerns about the government’s tactics to silence dissent.
**”Technical Problem”?**
The Ministry of the Interior initially attributed this issue to a “technical problem.” They claimed that the fines were issued automatically based on the principle of video fines. However, critics say this is just an excuse to avoid delivering formal notices and using parking violations as a pretext to easily deliver SMS messages about fines.
**Personal Stories**
Several people have come forward with personal stories of receiving such fines despite not owning cars. Ketuna Kerashvili, the sister of Irakli Kerashvili who was arrested during protests, wrote on social media that she was fined GEL 5,000 for improper parking on March 8, but doesn’t even own a car.
Iva Pezuashvili shared a phone screenshot of the Interior Ministry’s message, saying, “That’s how it is – with just one message, the Georgian Dream reclassified me from a human being to a vehicle.” Dato Simonia also received such a fine despite not owning a car and was advised by the police call center to ignore the parking reference.
**Legal Expert Weighs In**
According to legal expert Nika Simonishvili, the Interior Ministry has been overwhelmed with delivering formal notices for roadblock fines for protesters. As a result, they are now using parking violations as a pretext to easily deliver SMS messages about fines. This tactic violates the law by not attempting to deliver formal notices.
**Crushing Dissent?**
Watchdogs believe that the ruling party is using these hefty fines to crush dissent and discourage resistance. Since the start of the ongoing protests, hundreds of demonstrators – and several journalists – have been fined for allegedly blocking roads. The fines exceed twice the average monthly income in Georgia, making it difficult for people to pay.
As the protests continue in their fifth month, citizens are becoming increasingly frustrated with these tactics. The government’s use of parking violations as a pretext to fine protesters has raised concerns about the erosion of human rights and the rule of law.
**Read More**
To understand more about this issue, [Read More](https://civil.ge/archives/677193) at civil.ge.
