Detained Georgian protester's sister to European Parliament: "We need your support and action"

Ketevan Kerashvili, the sister of detained protester Irakli Kerashvili, addressed the European Parliament and called for urgent support and action, emphasizing that the ongoing struggle was not just about Georgia, but about Europe as a whole. She warned that if Georgia were to lose its freedom and fall into authoritarianism and Russian influence, it would be “a loss for Europe’s future.”

Kerashvili explained that Georgians had been resisting repressive laws for the past year, laws designed to silence and isolate them. She described how, in November 2024, Georgia’s acting prime minister announced that the country’s European integration would be suspended until at least 2028. In response, citizens spontaneously gathered in the heart of Tbilisi, where they were “beaten, poisoned, and dispersed with water cannons in freezing conditions.”

Currently, Kerashvili noted, 65 political prisoners, including three women and activist Mzia Amaglobi, are jailed simply because they love their country. She shared the stories of ordinary Georgians—doctors, artists, poets, writers, musicians, and students—who are fighting for freedom and refusing to be silenced.

She stressed that although Georgia had faced occupation many times in its history, it had always survived and preserved its culture and language. “Georgia was, is, and will be part of Europe,” Kerashvili declared, adding that the country’s European integration was irreversible.

Kerashvili highlighted that Georgia could not choose its neighbor and that Russia had repeatedly occupied Georgia. Today, she said, the country faced hybrid warfare, including creeping occupation, disinformation, violence, and systemic fear.

In the past year alone, nearly 700 people had been arrested for participating in pro-European demonstrations. Between November and March, 60% of detainees reported violence, and on some days up to 88% spoke of inhumane treatment. Victims included women, minors, people with disabilities, and journalists. None of the police officers or state officials who used violence against peaceful protesters had been punished, she added.

Kerashvili appealed to the European Parliament, saying: “We need your support. We need action. Because this fight is not only about Georgia—it is about Europe.”

She concluded by affirming that Georgians would continue their fight without fear and without stopping. She shared a letter from her brother, who wrote: “We have given up our own freedom for the freedom of our country and we will never retreat.”

Other speakers at the European Parliament included Georgian writer Lasha Bugadze and journalist Beka Korshia, who also urged support for Georgia’s pro-European struggle.