Day: May 2, 2025
Use of chemical agents at protests in Georgia
According to Nona Kurdovanidze, Chair of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, the use of chemical agents by Georgian Dream against peaceful demonstrators in November–December 2024 was unlawful and posed a serious threat to public health.
What did Nona Kurdovanidze say?
“One of the issues we want to highlight today is the chemical substance that was sometimes mixed with tear gas and water in water cannons, making its effects even more intense. We tried to gather more information about it.
From the very first days of its use, those affected began reporting the consequences of exposure. In particular, there were health complaints related to inhalation of the substance or its traces. We wanted to understand exactly what agents were being used. The Ministry of Internal Affairs was obliged to disclose this information, but it still hasn’t, despite our attempts to contact them.
We also approached the Ministry of Health to ask whether they had any information about the substances used, and whether they had requested data from the Interior Ministry in order to treat the injured accordingly.
Unfortunately, the Health Ministry replied that they do not have such information and did not consider it necessary to request it. This is a troubling response, especially given that during the dispersal of protests, healthcare professionals said this information was crucial for properly planning medical treatment.”
Use of chemical agents at protests in Georgia
Opinion on direct flights between Sukhumi and Russia
“Any self-respecting government would have already taken countermeasures and passed a law to suspend direct flights from Russia to Georgia,” said Tina Khidasheli, founder of the organisation Civic Idea, in response to the launch of flights between Sukhumi and Russia.
The first regular commercial flight in 32 years from Moscow to Sukhumi has taken place. A plane operated by the airline UVT Aero departed from Moscow’s Vnukovo International Airport and landed at the airport in Sukhumi, named after Vladislav Ardzinba — the first de facto president of the occupied region of Abkhazia.
The plane was met by the so-called president of Abkhazia, Badr Gunba, Vice President Beslan Bighvava, Prime Minister Vladimir Delba, and First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Russian Presidential Administration, SergeyKiriyenko.
Tina Khidasheli:
“If Georgian Dream had even a shred of self-respect in this context and after what happened, they would have cancelled all direct flights with Russia. But they have no sense of national pride — what matters most to them is that their cronies make money, and it seems they’re making a great deal of it off Georgian-Russian relations.”
Any self-respecting government would have taken countermeasures and cancelled direct flights with Russia.
If this country had a prime minister — and it doesn’t, it only has a self-proclaimed figure from Georgian Dream calling himself one — he would have already issued a decree to suspend direct air travel. That would be the only appropriate response at a time like this. After that, let Russia decide what it prefers: seven people flying to Sukhumi or seven thousand using Georgia’s other airports as intended. What’s happening at our airports with Russian airlines is a complete disaster.”
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