The leader of the Girchi political movement Zurab Japaridze with a group of supporters were fined 3 thousand lari ($ 1 thousand) each and sent to the police station for organizing a rally demanding to cancel the state of emergency and curfew.
The action took place on the territory of the former Hippodrome Park.
According to Japaridze, he is protesting against the «senseless extension of the state of emergency.» “This is a show put up by the authorities, trying to earn political points, portraying a desperate struggle against the epidemic. By the end of the state of emergency — May 22 — there will be no vaccine against coronavirus, the virus itself will not disappear, and society will not have population immunity, because people are sitting at home. Talking about some peak of the epidemic is a fairy tale,” Japaridze said.
Information on the detention was confirmed by the Georgian Interior Ministry. According to the agency, the police fined 14 activists and party leader Japaridze each for 3,000 GEL, and three people were detained for petty hooliganism and disobeying the lawful requirements of the police.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs notes that for the time of emergency any meetings or manifestations are prohibited.
A state of emergency in Georgia was declared on March 21 because of the threat of the spread of a novel coronavirus. After 10 days, the authorities decided to tighten measures. Today in the country it is forbidden to gather for more than three people, it is mandatory to maintain a social distance of two meters, at night there is a curfew.