Parents of children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy plan renewed protests in Tbilisi

Parents of children diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy on Monday said they will continue protests in Tbilisi demanding the government provide access to medication for their children.

In a statement, the parents said they and their supporters would gather outside the Government Administration building from 17:00 local time to remind authorities of what they described as the urgent need for treatment.

“We are demanding medicine to save our children,” the statement said. “Every day of inaction by the authorities equals lost lives.”

The group said it would continue holding regular demonstrations outside the government administration as well as weekly Duchenne marches on Sundays.

Parents also announced plans for symbolic one-person protests outside the residence of Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili in the Sololaki district of Tbilisi every Wednesday and Friday at 19:00 local time.

According to the statement, the decision followed written instructions from the Interior Ministry prohibiting gatherings near Ivanishvili’s residence. The parents argued that one-person demonstrations did not legally qualify as public assemblies and therefore did not fall under the ministry’s restrictions.

Families of children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy have repeatedly called on the Georgian authorities to fund or import medication used internationally to treat the rare genetic disease.