Parents of children with Duchenne call for weekly protests in Tbilisi

Parents of children diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy have called on the public to join regular protests in Tbilisi, urging authorities to take action to save their children’s lives.

In a statement on Monday, the parents said demonstrations would take place every Monday at 17:00 outside the government office, alongside ongoing daily protests. They said the aim was to make their voices heard and press the government for urgent measures.

The group also said the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia had instructed them not to set up tents in the park area near the building and to reduce the duration of their round-the-clock protest.

They described the instruction as unconstitutional and unlawful, arguing that the area is a public space where gatherings do not disrupt others. Even if disruption were a concern, they said, parents of critically ill children have the right to use such means to raise awareness.

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They also intend to file a complaint with the prosecutor’s office, requesting an investigation into what they describe as unlawful police instructions and alleged obstruction of the right to assembly under Article 161 of the Criminal Code.

In addition, the group called on the Georgian Public Broadcaster to allocate airtime for a public discussion involving government representatives and medical professionals, to address the issue openly and provide answers to affected families.