Find a Jeep car in Calgary, Alberta on AutoTrader, Canada’s largest online automotive marketplace.
Day: June 5, 2026
Duchenne syndrome parents end protest
A 45-day continuous protest by parents of children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy outside the Georgian government administration has ended successfully after the authorities agreed to establish a permanent working group to oversee the procurement and funding of the necessary medicines.
Following a second meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, the two sides agreed that the government would consider purchasing the two main medications, with a final decision to be made on the basis of the most favourable terms available.
The parents taking part in the protest say the agreement represents an important victory. One of them, Zakro Gvishiani, said that “victory in this worthy struggle has been achieved” and that the daily protests would now end. He said a permanent working group would be established to focus on two specific medications, with a final decision expected in around two months following negotiations with pharmaceutical companies.
The medicines under consideration include both gene therapy and modern treatments designed to slow the progression of the disease, including therapies targeting the dystrophin gene and new-generation alternatives to steroids.
Although the parents are ending their daily protest actions following the agreement, they still plan to hold a previously scheduled “March of Gratitude” on Sunday.
Health Minister Mikheil Sarjveladze said the working group would address not only access to medication but also the broader needs of children affected by the condition. He said the prime minister’s involvement had been important and that cooperation with parents created the necessary basis for decision-making.
According to Sarjveladze, parents will be the first to receive updates at every stage of the process, followed by the wider public, in order to ensure maximum transparency and keep the focus on the children’s interests.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a rare genetic disorder characterised by progressive muscle weakness and degeneration. Around 100 children in Georgia have been diagnosed with the condition.
A student-led initiative launched in support of the children grew into a nationwide campaign, raising more than 1.6 million lari (about $600,000) within a matter of days. However, even that substantial sum proved insufficient to cover the cost of the treatment.
As a result, organisers decided that the funds would instead be used to meet the children’s day-to-day needs, including breathing equipment, generators required to keep it running, medicines, adapted beds, wheelchairs and spinal surgery.
Duchenne syndrome parents end protest
Personalised legislation in Georgia
A significant share of the legislative changes adopted in Georgia since 2024 have served to consolidate political power and restrict critical voices, according to a new study by the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), which examines the practice of “personalised lawmaking”.
The organisation says personalised legislation refers to laws that serve the interests of ruling elites and are used against political opponents or to strengthen those in power.
According to the study, it is within this trend that Georgia’s parliament has adopted numerous legislative amendments since 2024, many of them through an expedited process and without broad public consultation.
According to GYLA, between 3 April 2024 and 20 February 2026, parliament fast-tracked and passed 304 laws. Some were introduced as legislative packages, while others took the form of individual amendments. The organisation argues that the process often lacked adequate scrutiny and democratic debate.
The study says some of the adopted changes have restricted fundamental rights, including freedom of assembly, freedom of expression and association, media independence, and the rights of civil servants.
The report gives particular attention to the “foreign agents” law adopted in May 2024, which GYLA says was aimed at stigmatising civil society organisations. The organisation notes that the law was passed amid mass protests and a violent crackdown on demonstrators.
The study also argues that the FARA law adopted in 2025, along with amendments to the Law on Grants, has significantly complicated the work of civil society groups and created legal mechanisms that risk effectively criminalising civic activism.
GYLA also highlights developments following the 2024 parliamentary elections. According to the organisation, repressive lawmaking intensified further against the backdrop of what it describes as systemic torture of protesters during demonstrations in November and December.
The study says amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences, the Criminal Code, and the Law on Assemblies and Demonstrations have sharply increased penalties related to protest activity and introduced new offences directly linked to the expression of dissent.
The organisation argues that the current legal framework effectively creates a risk of criminalising freedom of assembly. According to the study, existing rules require organisers to notify the Interior Ministry in advance in a manner that closely resembles a permit system, as the ministry is empowered to alter the time, location and route of a gathering, as well as decide when roads can be reopened to traffic. Violating these requirements can result in administrative detention, while repeat offences may lead to criminal liability.
The study also highlights changes affecting freedom of expression. According to GYLA, broadcasters’ ability to receive foreign funding has been restricted, vague requirements relating to impartiality standards have been introduced, and photography, video recording and audio recording at court hearings have been largely prohibited.
GYLA also considers problematic the introduction of a provision banning insults against public officials and civil servants. The organisation argues that the measure carries a risk of arbitrary enforcement and could have a chilling effect on critical expression.
According to the study, the trend of personalised lawmaking continued into 2026. Amendments adopted in March further tightened regulations governing civic and political activity, including through stricter grant-related legislation, the introduction of new criminal offences, and the effective restriction of political party membership for representatives of civil society organisations.
The organisation argues that the impact of these changes extends beyond freedom of assembly, expression and association. According to GYLA, they also affect political pluralism, academic freedom, the right to privacy, safeguards for the independence of the civil service, the rights of LGBTQI people, as well as the legal status of foreigners and stateless persons.
Georgian police seize cryptocurrency machines
Georgia‘s Interior Ministry has seized 148 devices used for cryptocurrency mining during an investigation in the Mestia municipality. According to the ministry, the case concerns the illegal consumption of electricity and violations of energy usage regulations.
The ministry said the investigation was launched after authorities identified the use of specialised cryptocurrency mining equipment in various parts of the Mestia municipality.
According to investigators, local residents were illegally consuming large amounts of electricity and using the devices to systematically mine cryptocurrency, generating unlawful income in the process.
The investigation is being conducted under Article 229 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which carries a maximum prison sentence of up to three years.
On 1 June, Mamuka Mdinaradze, one of the leaders of the ruling party, said the authorities were preparing to take decisive action against what he described as “illegal business activity that is damaging the energy sector”, primarily targeting unlawful cryptocurrency mining in the Mestia municipality.
Mdinaradze said electricity meters would be installed across the municipality, a measure that, according to him, had been blocked for years by various forms of resistance.
At the same time, he stressed that residents of the region would continue to receive free electricity up to a specified consumption limit, with standard tariffs applying only to usage exceeding that threshold.
Georgian police seize cryptocurrency machines