Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze has urged demonstrators not to risk arrest during the rally planned for October 4 on Rustaveli Avenue, warning that any violations of the law will be met with a response from the authorities.
“I urge everyone not to sacrifice themselves for prison,” Kaladze told journalists. “Everyone can express their opinion. But if there is a transgression, violence, or specific steps to fulfill calls to action, of course there will be a response.”
Asked whether this referred to the possible picketing of government buildings, Kaladze said the warning applied broadly. “Anyone who violates the law, regardless of the form or manner, will face a response,” he said.
The mayor stressed that freedom of assembly and expression is guaranteed in Georgia but must be exercised peacefully. “Any individual or group can express their opinion on various issues, including through gatherings or rallies. This must be done in a civilized manner. As soon as there is violence or a violation of the law, there will, of course, be a response from the relevant authorities,” he said.
When pressed on whether he planned to listen to protesters’ demands, Kaladze reiterated that expression must remain within legal limits. “We have a free country, an independent state. In this free country, every person has the opportunity for expression and freedom. But the key is that all of this must be within the framework of the law,” he said.
