Georgian professor detained, fined after anti-Gov’t protest

A professor from the Free University of Georgia on Friday claimed he was detained by police for nearly two hours after a protest in Tbilisi on Thursday – part of a nearly 100-day demonstration against the Georgian Dream government’s decision to halt EU integration until 2028 – before being fined for blocking the road and violating face-covering regulations.

Zaal Chkheidze shared his experience on social media, stating that he was taken by police near the Opera House on central Rustaveli Avenue while waiting for a bus. According to his account, a car with tinted windows stopped beside him before three men approached – one of whom wore a mask.

“One of them showed me his ID and told me in a polite but firm voice that we should follow him,” he wrote.

Chkheidze said he was taken to a police station on Agmashenebeli Avenue without explanation or the opportunity to make a phone call.

“For about an hour and a half, they were trying to find out who I was, taking pictures of me, talking to other people on the phone in the next room, and deciding what to write down. Unfortunately, despite my repeated requests, I was not allowed to contact my family or a lawyer.”

After nearly two hours, he was released with two fines.