In Georgia, protestors have been reclaiming the civic space from the illegitimate government in so many different and creative ways.
Even the New Year's Eve celebrations in Tbilisi have been transformed into a Magical New Year's Eve Protest with legitimate President Salome Zourabichvilli as guest of honour!
Her term ends on 29th December. But that's just according to the government. The people are saying she stays president until new elections happen.
Just in case you're wondering why the Georgians are so certain their government are illegitimate and the last election was rigged, it's because of all the evidence....
The U.S. has issued Magnitsky sanctions against Georgia's Minister of Internal Affairs, Vakhtang Gomelauri and Deputy Head of the Special Task Department, Mirza Kezevadze.
WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is sanctioning two Georgian officials from Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs which has engaged in brutal crackdowns on media members, opposition figures, and protesters — including during demonstrations throughout 2024. These officials are being sanctioned under Executive Order (E.O.) 13818 (Global Magnitsky), following the September 16, 2024 sanctions of two other Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs officials. This action was coordinated with the United Kingdom, which today designated five individuals responsible for human rights violations in Georgia.“In the wake of Georgia’s election, key officials in the Ministry of Internal Affairs engaged in a severe and vicious crackdown against their own people, including the intentional targeting of journalists and use of violence,” said Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith. “The United States remains committed to holding accountable those who seek to limit the rights of their citizens and undermine fundamental freedoms — in Georgia and around the world.”georgian officials OVERSEEING PROTEST CRACKDOWNSIn late November 2024, mass protests erupted across the country in response to Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s announcement that Georgia would suspend talks on accession to the European Union. Security forces from the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Special Task Department responded to protests with disproportionate violence to suppress dissent and discourage protesters. The Special Task Department utilized tactics including mass beatings, verbal abuse, and threats of sexual violence. Police violence by members of the Special Task Department occurred while individuals were in police custody, in detention, and at locations outside the protest area. The Special Task Department also deliberately targeted journalists as they reported on the violence and repeatedly abused detained protesters.During protests prior to the May 2024 passage of the “foreign influence law,” the Special Task Department also violently targeted political opposition leaders, journalists, and youth activists who were peacefully expressing their views. The Special Task Department perpetrated violence, including through brutal beatings of peaceful protesters. The violence perpetrated by the Special Task Department was overseen by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Vakhtang Gomelauri (Gomelauri), and a Deputy Head of the Special Task Department, Mirza Kezevadze (Kezevadze), in addition to those designated by OFAC on September 16, 2024.Gomelauri and Kezevadze are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13818 for being foreign persons who are or have been, leaders or officials of an entity, including any government entity, that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuse related to the leader’s or official’s tenure.SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONSAs a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. U.S. persons may face civil or criminal penalties for violations of E.O. 13818. Non-U.S. persons are also prohibited from causing or conspiring to cause U.S. persons to wittingly or unwittingly violate U.S. sanctions, as well as engaging in conduct that evades U.S. sanctions. OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC’s enforcement of U.S. sanctions, including the factors that OFAC generally considers when determining an appropriate response to an apparent violation.In addition, financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with the sanctioned individuals may expose themselves to sanctions or be subject to an enforcement action. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC’s ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFAC’s Frequently Asked Question 897 here. For detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click hereGLOBAL MAGNITSKYBuilding upon the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, E.O. 13818 was issued on December 20, 2017, in recognition that the prevalence of human rights abuse and corruption that have their source, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States, had reached such scope and gravity as to threaten the stability of international political and economic systems. Human rights abuse and corruption undermine the values that form an essential foundation of stable, secure, and functioning societies; have devastating impacts on individuals; weaken democratic institutions; degrade the rule of law; perpetuate violent conflicts; facilitate the activities of dangerous persons; and undermine economic markets. The United States seeks to impose tangible and significant consequences on those who commit serious human rights abuse or engage in corruption, as well as to protect the financial system of the United States from abuse by these same persons.Click here for more information on the individuals designated today.###
Somewhere in Georgia there's a poor admin worker trying to keep up with this post from Free Business Georgia. It's a statement from businesses calling for new elections and the end of detaining protestors.
There are about 1500 businesses already signed up, and over 1000 businesses waiting for their signature to be verified. And they just don't stop.
The illegitimate Georgian government has responded to U.S. and U.K. sanctions in typical illegitimate Georgian government style.
The sanctioned Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri has been promoted to Deputy Prime Minister, and the sanctioned heads of the police command have all been given the Award of Honour.
If it sounds like a ludicrous bravado move which the Russians would do, that's because it is.
On December 20, GD Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze appointed Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri - an official sanctioned the day earlier by the U.S., as well as by the U.K., Ukraine, Lithuania, Est
Council of Europe head Alain Berset concludes his visit to Georgia.
“I am not here to legitimize elections, that is the responsibility of other competent institutions.The key reason of my visit was to meet with everyone, as dialogue is the cornerstone of any functional democracy.”
Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, has been on a 3 day visit to Georgia.
His visit has gone down really badly with Georgians. While the legitimacy or otherwise of the recent elections is not within his remit, they feel he could have done and said a lot more to criticise the government and their democratic backsliding.
Georgians feel that all his visit has actually done is give legitimacy to an illegitimate government. This was a diplomatic failure.
"Let me say this one more time, louder this time: Georgians have been in the streets since November 28 to repeal the Russian puppet regime, not just the Russian law. End of story."
Anna Gvarishvili,
Georgian journalist.
EU propose visa restrictions on Georgian government officials.
"Today we are taking action to hold Georgian authorities accountable for the violent repression of peaceful protests. This sends a clear message to the Georgian authorities that they cannot repress opposition voices or curtail freedom of expression without consequences."
Kaja Kallas,
EU Foreign Affairs.
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_6547
"Georgia's so called PM Kobakhidze now says the state will compensate all financial losses of the U.S. and U.K. sanctioned persons.
This is a defiant, open anti-American & anti-British stance and disregard to human rights, but also an attempt to prevent regime defections in fear of sanctions. Which means that sanctions have a serious potential to work, and we need more of them."
Marika Mikiashvili,
Georgia.
In Georgia, Aleksi Tirkia, the 22-year-old that fell into a coma after a tear gas capsule hit him in the head on one of the first nights of protests in Tbilisi, has been discharged from the hospital.
Apparently, he can't wait to get back to the protests. Georgians are unstoppable.
“I met with the delegation from the Council of Europe, who seem a bit confused and lack a full understanding of the situation here. I clarified that it’s not within their mandate or right to appoint a commission to an illegitimate government, especially not one considering “Russian law”.
From today, Secretary General Alain Berset will gain a clearer picture of the lies and provocations that define Georgian Dream's actions.”
Salome Zourabichvilli,
President of Georgia.
"In our shared spirit of democracy and respect for human rights, we proudly declare: Glory to Ukraine. Long Live Belarus. Georgia belongs in Europe."
Senator Ben Cardin,
Chair,
U.S. Foreign Relations Committee.
WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led leaders of European foreign affairs...
According to this, the 'Deep State' controls not just America but the whole world and only Donald Trump can save us by de-oligarchising everywhere, but he's got a massive fight on his hands and the rest of us in the free world need to support him.
Georgian PM Irakli Khobakidze is either a very confused man or he's just in it for the lols.
Georgian Dream's Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has announced that 11 senior officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs will be nominated for the Order of Honor following Mikheil Kavelashvili's
This is Gori, Georgia, a small city close to the Russian occupied territory of South Ossetia.
They're burning an effigy of Putin in protest of, well, everything.
This was brought up in the House of Commons in the U.K. by MP Blair McDougal earlier this week, but hasn't had much attention.
Georgian minigarch Irakli Rukladze is the director of U.K. firm Hunnewell. He runs Georgian propaganda T.V. channel Imedi. He is responsible for the main media arm of the illegitimate, human rights trampling Georgian Dream party.
He does all of this from the comfort of his London home and is also a U.S. citizen.
WTF.
"Georgian Foreign Ministry summoned the British Ambassador to Georgia, Gareth Ward, over the sanctions imposed on December 19 by the United Kingdom on senior Georgian officials for their role in a systematic crackdown on peaceful demonstrators, civil society, the media, and opposition figures.
Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili expressed concern about the sanctions, telling the Ambassador that “such actions damage the friendly relations between the two countries”
OSCE Report on Georgia Elections
“Numerous issues noted in our final report negatively impacted the integrity of these elections and eroded public trust in the process."
"To safeguard the democratic principles currently at stake in Georgia, it is imperative that the authorities urgently address all concerns.”
Eoghan Murphy,
Georgia Mission Head,
OSCE.
WARSAW, 20 December 2024 – In its final report on the observation of the 26 October parliamentary elections in Georgia, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) reiterates its earlier findings and conclusions.
What do lawyers, nursery teachers, energy sector workers, international relations students, autistic people, tech workers, and vegans have in common?
Oh, nothing much. That's just the different groups of society that marched on parliament in protest of their illegitimate government in Tbilisi, Georgia, and that's just today.
When I say everybody is protesting in Georgia, I really do mean EVERYBODY is protesting in Georgia.
In Tbilisi, Georgia, Free University and Agricultural University students have blocked the main highway into Tbilisi. They are starting from their university campus and will, eventually, in their own time, be marching to parliament.
This is just one of about 22 protest marches planned for today. And that's just in the capital of Tbilisi.
Today, as well as students, tattoo artists, the fashion industry, traditional folk dancers, and others, representatives of all the different regions of Georgia are marching on parliament in Tbilisi. There are Rachvelians, Kartlelians, Megrelians, Svanetis, Adjarians, Ingaretians, and more.
At this point they're all mixed in and there's no way of knowing where one march ends and another begins. It's just one big glorious mess of Georgians from everywhere, all together.
Traditional Georgian folk dance is old. Older than anyone really knows. Archeologists find 4,000 year old pottery that has depictions of folk dancers on it.
The Khorumi is a special dance. It's a sacred 'warrior' dance that tells the story of armies repelling invaders from Georgia.
And, right now, in 2024, the Khorumi dancers of Georgia are dancing towards parliament in Tbilisi to repel their Russian backed illegitimate government out of Georgia.
Video Mariam Geguchadze.
"Had a good call with Georgia’s President Zourabichvili. In this moment of political crisis, she is the only legitimate leader of the country. I agree with her—the only way forward for Georgia is a new election. The people of Georgia deserve a government that represents them."
Rep. Joe Wilson,
Chair,
U.S. Helsinki Commission
Tbilisi, Georgia is on it's 24th consecutive day of protests. Today there were over 20 separate marches with an estimated 200,000 people. They danced the traditional Georgian folk dance the Khorumi outside parliament and it was magical.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Tbilisi, doing his best to pretend everything is just fine, organized a Christmas concert. Nobody turned up.
Nobody, as in, literally, nobody.
Georgian protestors have taken over the physical civic space in Tbilisi to the point where they can perform traditional Georgian war dance the Khorumi in front of parliament to cheering crowds of hundreds of thousands of people and there is literally fuck all the illegitimate government can do about it.
Meanwhile the ruling Georgian Dream party have set up a Christmas village in Tbilisi in a desperate attempt to distract from the hundreds of thousands of protestors on the streets day and night and to try to pretend everything is totally normal.
It hasn't worked. Not a single person turned up for the Saturday night free film screening. Not even when they were showing Elf.
This is how the Christmas tree outside parliament in Tbilisi Georgia looks this evening. It's festooned with banners from the 20+ protest marches that took place today.
It's not a typo. 20+ protest marches, in one day.
Last night in Georgia, something very special happened.Professional Georgian folk dancers led thousands of Georgians through the streets of Tbilisi all the way to parliament. They were dancing the Khorumi, an ancient and sacred warrior's victory march.
In a nutshell, they summoned the spirits of the ancestors to rid their country of the invaders which this time around are the Russia backed illegitimate government.
We've been here so many times before.
Last night's Khorumi dancers outside parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia have turbocharged the protestors in a way that the illegitimate Georgian government doesn't fully understand yet. But they will.
In Tbilisi, Georgia, among many other demonstrations today, it's the demonstration of motorcycles.
The motorcyclists are just like every other section of Georgian society. They are revved up for change.
There are some strong rumours that the U.S. Senate is getting ready to pass the 'Megobari Act', a resolution that supports the Georgian people while discouraging the democratic backsliding of the Georgian government.
In his latest massive failure to read the room, in a briefing today Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze once again threatened President Salome Zourabichvili:
"On December 29, she will have to leave office. Let’s see where she continues her life—behind bars or outside them."
In Tbilisi, Georgia last night, the ruling Georgian Dream party opened a Christmas village. The Georgian people are too busy protesting and so angry at the government that nobody went.
Well, that's not strictly true. Georgian Nikoloz Humonodi was there. He even took some amazing self portraits that fall somewhere in the space between performance art and massive pisstake.
In Tbilisi, Georgia, today, by my count there are 'only' 6 separate marches on parliament. The Kakhetians, French speakers, English teachers, Erasmus students, Motorcyclists, and Army veterans.
It seems they are saving some space outside parliament for 9 p.m. Tbilisi time when President Salome Zourabichvilli is due to address the protestors and the nation.
What she has to say is being kept under wraps, so, watch that space.
How to explain this one. In Tbilisi, Georgia there's a Christmas village the government has put on in an attempt to distract from the huge protests happening nightly.
The people are boycotting the Christmas village. Last night it was completely empty.
Tonight President Zourabichvilli took to the stage at the Christmas village in front of a huge crowd of protestors, said 'This space is ours now' and left, to thunderous applause.
After the ruling Georgian Dream stole her first sound system and jammed the signal on the replacement microphone, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvilli had to postpone her address to the protestors outside parliament in Tbilisi Georgia this evening. She will give her full address from the palace tomorrow.
The thousands of disappointed protestors saw her off home with a rousing chorus of the Georgian national anthem.
Earlier this evening, President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvilli tried to address a crowd of thousands of demonstrators in Tbilisi.
Just because they are that petty, the ruling Georgian Dream party jammed her microphone so most of the crowd couldn't hear what she had to say.
The Georgian Dream are petty, they're also not very bright. She has effortlessly outsmarted them by going online and posting what she had to say. It's in the posts below. 👇
"Election has not taken place: There is only one formula to resolve the current crisis, one universally recognized in every democratic country - new elections!
I invite Ivanishvili, Kobakhidze, Papuashvili, and other involved parties to Orbeliani Palace to negotiate.
The only topic: when and how to hold new elections!"
Salome Zourabichvilli.
/1👇
"I am ready to sit down and find a solution on how to schedule elections, but the decision must be agreed upon by the 29th.
By the 29th, we all have the opportunity to move this country forward - making Georgia a global example of democracy, reconciliation, and progress!"
Salome Zourabichvilli,
President of Georgia.
/2👇
"Georgia never surrenders when it stands for what is right. And Georgia is right - you are right!
I will remain loyal - loyal to this country and to the Constitution to which I swore an oath six years ago.
Though trampled underfoot, this Constitution stands firm, just like Georgia.
I will uphold it and remain faithful to it!"
Salome Zourabichvilli,
President of Georgia.
/3👇
"I am, and will remain, loyal to the people—not just those here today, but all Georgians.
Let no one doubt that I am, and will always be, everyone’s President!!
I will remain loyal to the Georgian Army—its veterans, soldiers, and steadfast partners who built and strengthened it.
I am, and will remain, its Commander-in-Chief!"
Salome Zourabichvili,
President of Georgia.
/4 Fin
"They threaten to jail her.
Does she look scared or confused to you?
She is so clearly rejoicing in history in making, fully comprehending her role in it, and feeling the ever-increasing public gratitude and love.
Born to be here and now.
Our only legitimate President, Salome Zourabichvilli !"
Marika Mikiashvili,
Georgia.
Day 26 of protests in Georgia brings 11 sperate protests to Tbilisi.
The desire to be rid of the illegitimate government is so clear that even the Philosophers are in agreement.
'I think, therefore I am, marching to parliament.'
In Tbilisi Georgia, the protests just go on and on, like an unstoppable river of people.
Today, the oncology patients are taking their turn to march on parliament in protest against their illegitimate government.
"I defeated cancer, I'll defeat the Georgian Dream too."
In Tbilisi, Georgia, right now, the Philosophers are marching to parliament in protest against the government.
It's an existential crisis.
The Philosophers ARE marching on parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia. Although I'm sure they wouldn't all agree with that statement....
"I think, therefore I can't be a Georgian Dream supporter."
International Republican Institute Report on Georgia Elections.
"The IRI mission concludes that Georgia’s parliamentary elections were fundamentally flawed due to a legal framework and regulatory practices that hindered genuine electoral competition, misuse of public resources by the ruling government, the targeting of civil society, obstruction of opposition parties, systematic voter intimidation, and lack of public confidence and trust in institutions."
https://www.iri.org/news/iri-releases-final-report-on-georgias-parliamentary-elections/
In Georgia, President Salome Zourabichvilli has just given an address from her office which is the same as the one she tried to give to protestors last night before the ruling Georgian Dream party jammed her microphone.
She stated that the country has two options: either Ivanishvili and the regime compromise on new elections now before December 29 (the sham inauguration of the new puppet President), or the all-encompassing crisis deepens and the regime collapses.
"Trump should judge Georgian Dream for what it is. A group of corrupt thugs who want to smash Georgia’s constitution and people into obedience in order that they might better enrich themselves and better serve American adversaries in Moscow and Beijing."
The Georgian Dream government in Tbilisi, Georgia, should face President-elect Donald Trump's sanctions.
In Georgia, the ruling party are absolutely counting on Trump to turn a blind eye to their 'democratic backsliding' and their plan to sell most of Georgia to Russia, Iran and China. I think their plan is hinging on Trump not realising that Georgia can mean a country as well as a state.
Meanwhile, on Fox News...
"The level of the authorities’ violence against largely peaceful protesters is shocking, blatantly retaliatory, and violates Georgia’s domestic laws and international norms."
"The scale of the police ill-treatment of protesters and the failure of Georgian authorities to hold them accountable for it indicates they either authorized or condoned the violence.”
Hugh Williamson,
Human Rights Watch.
#GeorgiaProtests
#TerrorInGeorgia
https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/12/23/georgia-brutal-police-violence-against-protesters
"President Salome Zourabichvili is the voice of European Georgia. For many, she is the last legitimate power."
Professor Kornely Kakachia,
Georgian Institute of Politics.
U.S. Sanctions Georgian Dream Chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili.
"Ivanishvili is being designated for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in the United States or abroad, for or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation."
https://www.state.gov/sanctioning-georgian-dream-founder-bidzina-ivanishvili/
If there is one person in Georgia who deserves to be sanctioned, it's Georgian Dream chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili. He's the Russian backed billionaire puppet master behind the whole show.
And the U.S. have just sanctioned him. Yes!
"The U.S. is sanctioning Bidzina Grigoris Dze Ivanishvili, the founder and honorary chairman of Georgian Dream. His actions have enabled human rights abuses and undermined the democratic and European future of the Georgian people for the benefit of the Russian Federation."
Matthew Miller,
U.S. State Department Spokesperson.
Protest.24 is a Georgian organisation that has been trying to keep tabs on the amount of anti government protests in Georgia.
I say they are trying because it's impossible to keep tabs on all the protests happening across Georgia. They have been happening for over 30 days in over 40 towns and cities.
The Georgia Protests are massive.
This astonishing graphic just shows the amount of protests that have happened in Tbilisi, the capital city of Georgia.
There have been 178 anti governent protests in the last couple of weeks or so.
178 protests. And that's just the capital.
Happening across Georgia right now is a human chain forming in protest against the government and in solidarity with the only legitimate President of Georgia Salome Zourabchivili, whose official term ends today. She has stated she will be staying in office until new legitimate elections is held
This is the mountaineers section of the chain.
President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili has just joined the human chain of unity in Tbilisi, Georgia. Because of course she has.
"A country that has been through war against Terrorist Russia does not apologize."
Huge banner unfurled across a bridge in Tbilisi, Georgia as part of a national chain of unity.
“Fuck that man who first praised Russians.”
Akaki Tsereteli,
19th C Georgian poet.
Banner put up at Metekhi Church, Tbilisi, Georgia as part of human chain of unity, happening across Georgia, right now.
In Georgia today there is a human chain of unity in protest of the illegitimate government. There are hundreds of thousands of people joining hands across Georgia, but it's not just Georgia.
There are dozens of towns and cities across Europe and the world joining in. This is Trafalgar Square in London.
In Georgia, President Salome Zourabichvili has decided to leave her official residence before the contested inauguration of the new president.
“I will be with you. This building was a symbol only as long as a legitimate president was sitting here. I take legitimacy with me. I am taking the flag with me. I am taking the people’s trust with me.”
She's got one day.
The crisis point is almost here.
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