2007 Georgian demonstrations
Encyclopedia
The 2007 Georgian demonstrations were a series of anti-government protests in Georgia
. The demonstrations peaked on November 2, 2007, when 50,000-100,000 rallied in downtown Tbilisi
, capital of Georgia. People protested against the allegedly corrupt government of president Mikheil Saakashvili
. Protests triggered by detention of Georgian politician Irakli Okruashvili
on charges of extortion
, money laundering
, and abuse of office during his tenure as defense minister of the country were organized by the National Council, an ad-hoc coalition of ten opposition parties, and financed by the media tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili
. Demonstrations occurred both in September and November 2007 and were initially largely peaceful. The protests went downhill by November 6, 2007, but turned violent the next day when the police
, using heavy-handed tactics, including tear gas and water cannon, unblocked Rustaveli Avenue
, Tbilisi's main boulevard, dislodged the protesters from the territory adjoining to the House of Parliament
, and prevented the demonstrators from resuming the protests. The government accused the Russia
n secret services of being involved in an attempted coup d'etat
and declared a nationwide state of emergency
later that day which lasted until late November 16, 2007.
On November 8, 2007, President Saakashvili announced a compromise solution to hold early presidential elections
for January 5, 2008. He also proposed to hold a referendum in parallel
to snap presidential elections about when to hold parliamentary polls
– in spring as pushed for by the opposition parties, or in late 2008.
It is said to have been the worst political crisis in Georgia since the 2003 Rose Revolution
that brought Saakashvili's government to power.
that saw the coming to power of Mikheil Saakashvili
in 2004. Saakashvili, a U.S. trained lawyer and staunch advocate for closer integration with the NATO and European Union
, instituted reforms that saw the nations GDP triple and corruption drop since taking office. In 2006, the World Bank
named Georgia as the top reformer in the world. Despite the progress, a significant portion of Georgia's population still live below the poverty line and Georgia is one of the poorest countries in the CIS
. Growing incomes are offset by rising inflation; radical economic reforms and a crackdown on the black market left thousands unemployed; and since the reforms, many Georgians are having to pay tax and utility bills in full. Although the Saakashvili government has declared war on corruption, its critics alleges corruption in Saakashvili's own team, including his uncle - the entrepreneur Temur Alasania - and several ministers. The opponents say the authorities use selective application of the law to sideline political opponents, and accuse Saakashvili of authoritarian rule. The government has also come under the fire of criticism due to the use of heavy-handed police against the 2006 prison riot, as well as due to the underinvestigated high-profile murder case
involving police officers.
Saakashvili also inherited the issues of the Russian-backed unrecognized
breakaway republics of Abkhazia
and South Ossetia
, which seceded from Georgia in the early 1990s. As of the time of the demonstrations, they were de facto
independent
but de jure
part of Georgia. Saakashvili had made it part of his agenda to reincorporate them through peaceful means. Others within Saakashvili's government, such as the defence minister Irakli Okruashvili
had been pushing for a military solution for these de facto republics.
Saaskashvili reassigned the portfolio of Okruashvili from defence to Minister of the Economy in November 2006. It was believed that the reassignment came due to Okruashvili’s aggressive stance on the secessionist conflicts. Okruashvili subsequently resigned his post.
On September 25, 2007, he announced the formation of the new opposition Movement for United Georgia and unleashed criticism on President Saakashvili, accusing him of corruption, incompetency and human rights violations. He also raised new concerns around Zurab Zhvania
's death, challenging the official investigation point of view and personally accused the Georgian president of planning the murder of businessman Badri Patarkatsishvili
.
, blocking Tbilisi's main thoroughfare in front of the parliament. Demonstrators were demanding early elections, more accountability and honesty in politics.
The rally was organized by an alliance of major opposition parties with the exception of the New Rights
which distanced themselves from the manifestation stating that it was "not the way from one temple to another, it is substitute of one leader with another."
Previously, former Georgian Minister of Defense and long-time critic of Moscow's policy towards Georgia Irakly Okruashvili has lashed out at his former associate President Mikheil Saakashvili
. Okruashvili had been sacked by the president, in November 2006, from his post of Defense Minister allegedly under pressure from the West in September 2006.
At the presentation of his party For United Georgia, he accused Saakashvili of corruption, lobbying the interests of his own family, weakness towards separatists in Abkhazia
and South Ossetia
, and a lack of morals. Okruashvili also claimed that the Georgian government had intentionally obscured the true reasons behind the death of former Prime Minister
Zurab Zhvania
. Zhvania had died while Prime Minister in February 2005. Okruashvili said that Zhvania's corpse had been taken to the apartment where he was found dead.
Okruashvili retracted his statements and admitted to the charges raised against him on 8 October 2007 on television, but he later said he made the statements due to being "psychologically pressured".
Okruashvili left Georgia around Nov. 1, 2007. He subsequently said he was forced into exile; the government said he left to seek medical treatment. The following April he was granted political asylum by the government of France. In September 2008, a French court rejected Georgia's extradition request. Okruashvili has been described as "a likely candidate to replace Saakashvili, if and when Georgian public opinion turns against the president."
Okruashvili's political comeback and his arrest coincided with Saakashvili's visit to New York City
where he addressed the U.N. General Assembly and heavily criticized Russia's involvement in Georgia's breakaway territories. Meanwhile, Giga Bokeria
, an influential member of the Parliament of Georgia
from the ruling United National Movement party, said by voicing stunning, but groundless accusations Okruashvili wanted "to create some kind of immunity and untouchable status." On September 29, President Saakashvili headed to Upper Abkhazia
where he attended opening of a new road linking Georgian-controlled areas in breakaway Abkhazia with Georgia proper. He made his first remarks on Okruashvili's accusations:
On 2 November 2007, tens of thousands of Georgians protested outside the parliament in the capital, Tbilisi, urging President Mikhail Saakashvili to step down. The crowd also called for early parliamentary elections. They accused Saakashvili of heading a corrupt, authoritarian government and wanted him to be ousted democratically.
The protests continued in the following days; a televised statement from Okruashvili was seen as a boost in support for the opposition.
Twenty-three law enforcement officers were injured and 21 people were arrested during the riots.
TV footage showed some protesters throwing stones at riot policemen. They were dispersed by police a second time.
Two pro-opposition independent TV stations have gone off the air after Badri Patarkatsishvili
declared that "Nobody should doubt that all my efforts, my financial resources including the last tetri
will be applied for freeing Georgia from Fascist regime": Imedi TV (that is co-owned by the media tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili
who sponsored the National Council recently set up by the ten opposition parties and has pledged to finance the rallies until the government is removed) and Kavkasia, located in the same building as Imedi TV. Police officers in masks and assault rifles were seen sealing off the Imedi office. Shortly afterwards, Mikheil Saakashvili declared a state of emergency
Georgia-wide to last for 15 days. As a result, news programs at all the private television stations will be shut down for 15 days. The publicly-funded Georgian Public Broadcasting
(GPB) remained the only station allowed to provide news coverage.
On November 8, a "small group of students" gathered at Batumi
State University to rally against what they saw as the "police violence" that had occurred the previous day. According to eyewitnesses interviewed by Human Rights Watch
, "police attacked the group without warning, chasing and beating protesters trying to flee." Holly Cartner, Executive Director [of] Europe and Central Asia Division at Human Rights Watch
condemned what she described as "police attacks on peaceful protesters".
Soon, Georgia's opposition announced the suspension of anti-government protests in Tbilisi. Most of the opposition parties hailed President Saakashvili’s decision as the first step to end the political standoff, and agreed to the negotiations with Nino Burjanadze
, the parliamentary chairperson.
By November 9, 2007, riot police and troops had been withdrawn from the main sites of the November 7 unrest. On the same day, Ilia II
, Catholicos-Patriarch
of the Georgian Orthodox Church met separately with Nino Burjanadze and opposition leaders and said that he was ready to mediate between the opposition and the authorities.
Saakasvili commented the clashes by saying "We have been hearing for recent months that turmoil was expected in Georgia by autumn. We have been receiving this information from our intelligence" and that "alternative government has already been set up in Moscow".
Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli said a coup attempt was made.
On November 7, Georgia's Interior Ministry released taped audio and video material purporting to show some opposition leaders – Levan Berdzenishvili of the Republican Party
, Giorgi Khaindrava of opposition group Equality Institute, Konstantine Gamsakhurdia
, the leader of the Freedom Movement and Shalva Natelashvili, the leader of Labor Party
- cooperating with the Russian counter-intelligence service during a meeting with three Russian diplomats.
Gigi Ugulava, Tbilisi's mayor, defended the action by police, saying: "I was listening to one of the opposition leaders who was saying proudly they planned to pitch tents and set up a tent town in Tbilisi. "What we did is stop this because it is the will of the people not to have a tent town in Tbilisi."
In December 2008, Sozar Subari
, Public Defender (Ombudsman
) of Georgia, claimed he had evidence that then Georgia's Interior Minister
Vano Merabishvili
had ordered police to beat protesters, "mainly in the kidneys and the stomach." In his testimony before Georgian Parliament
, Subari claimed that he possessed evidence that Defense Minister Davit Kezerashvili
, Justice Minister
Zurab Adeishvili
and Davit Akhalaia (who had no official office then) had had a secret meeting at the office of Interior Ministry on November 4, 2007 where they had decided on the course of action for handling the demonstrations:
.
United States — The United States welcomed the Georgian government’s decision to hold early presidential elections, while urging to end the state of emergency and restore all media broadcasts.
On November 13, 2007, Matthew Bryza, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs and the top U.S. envoy to the Caucasus, told reporters that he would be very surprised if there had been a real threat from Russia to destabilize Georgia.
Russia — The Russian Foreign Ministry rejected Saakashvili's accusations of backing the opposition rally calling it an "irresponsible provocation" designed by Georgian authorities to distract attention from domestic problems and blame them on a foreign scapegoat. It later issued a statement heavily criticizing the Georgian government for police lawlessness, arrests of opposition leaders and human rights activists, ban on activities of the independent media and beating of foreign journalists.
Sweden — Foreign minister Carl Bildt
said that November 7 was a "very dark day for Georgia", but praised the decision to hold early presidential elections, adding that all parties now have to "return to the democratic path". "This is also a way to address the simplistic propaganda that is currently blazoned abroad by the big neighbor in the north (Russia)" /.../ "and to secure long-term stability in the country." Carl Bildt, who met with President Saakashvili in Tbilisi on November 2, has repeatedly said that: "To support and help the young democracies (in Eastern Europe) /.../ is something we (Europe) must do."
United Nations — Louise Arbour
, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, rebuked Georgia for its "disproportionate use of force" against protesters and said it must uphold fundamental rights even under a state of emergency. In a statement, she also expressed support for Georgia's public defender, or human rights ombudsman, and voiced concern at the silencing of independent television stations in the former Soviet republic.
NATO — Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
in a statement on November 8, 2007 said that “The imposition of Emergency Rule, and the closure of media outlets in Georgia, a Partner with which the Alliance has an Intensified Dialogue, are of particular concern and not in line with Euro-Atlantic values”
European Union — The EU foreign policy chief, Javier Solana
, urged restraint from both sides, saying "political differences should be resolved within the democratic institutions".
Human Rights Watch
— On December 20, 2007, Human Rights Watch released a 102-page report, named Crossing the Line: Georgia’s Violent Dispersal of Protestors and Raid on Imedi Television, criticising what it saw as the Government's "usage of excessive force" on protesters the police's raide on Imedi.
for January 5, 2008. He also proposed to hold a simultaneous plebiscite
about when to hold parliamentary polls
– in spring as pushed for by the opposition parties, or in late 2008. He also called for dialogue with the opposition parties which, he said, did not cooperate with the Russian intelligence, and promised to end the state of emergency within a few days.
The Georgian authorities charged Patarkatsishvili, who had earlier left for London, with plotting a coup. He died on February 12, 2008, in London.
On November 9, 2007, the Parliament of Georgia, in a complete absence of opposition lawmakers, backed the presidential decree imposing state of emergency and restrictions on media on the entire territory of Georgia to be in force until late November 22.
On November 10, 2007, the talks regarding the election code resumed between the ruling and opposition parties.
The nationwide state of emergency was lifted at 7pm local time on November 16, 2007, in accordance to the parliament's decree passed two days earlier. All media sources resumed broadcasting with the exception of Imedi TV which returned on air on December 12.
According to Prime minister Lado Gurgenidze, During the November turmoils Georgian economy lost nearly half a billion dollars of potential investments.
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
. The demonstrations peaked on November 2, 2007, when 50,000-100,000 rallied in downtown Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, capital of Georgia. People protested against the allegedly corrupt government of president Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili is a Georgian politician, the third and current President of Georgia and leader of the United National Movement Party.Involved in the national politics since 1995, Saakashvili became president on 25 January 2004 after President Eduard Shevardnadze resigned in a November 2003...
. Protests triggered by detention of Georgian politician Irakli Okruashvili
Irakli Okruashvili
Irakli Okruashvili is a Georgian politician who had served on various important posts in the Government of Georgia under President Mikheil Saakashvili, including being the Minister of Defense from December 2004 until being dismissed in November 2006.In September 2007, Okruashvili staged a...
on charges of extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
, money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
, and abuse of office during his tenure as defense minister of the country were organized by the National Council, an ad-hoc coalition of ten opposition parties, and financed by the media tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili
Badri Patarkatsishvili
Arkady "Badri" Patarkatsishvili was a wealthy Georgian businessman, who was also extensively involved in politics. He contested the 2008 Georgian presidential election and came third with 7.1% of the votes...
. Demonstrations occurred both in September and November 2007 and were initially largely peaceful. The protests went downhill by November 6, 2007, but turned violent the next day when the police
Law enforcement in Georgia (country)
Law enforcement in Georgia is conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. In the last few years, the Patrol Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has undergone a radical transformation...
, using heavy-handed tactics, including tear gas and water cannon, unblocked Rustaveli Avenue
Rustaveli Avenue
Rustaveli Avenue - is an avenue in central Tbilisi named after the medieval Georgian poet, Shota Rustaveli. The Avenue starts at Freedom Square and extends for about 1.5 km in length, before it turns into an extension of Kostavas Kucha...
, Tbilisi's main boulevard, dislodged the protesters from the territory adjoining to the House of Parliament
Parliament of Georgia
Parliament of Georgia is the supreme legislature of Georgia. It is unicameral and has 150 members, known as deputies, from which 75 members are proportional representatives and 75 are elected through single-member district plurality system, representing their constituencies...
, and prevented the demonstrators from resuming the protests. The government accused the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n secret services of being involved in an attempted coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
and declared a nationwide state of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
later that day which lasted until late November 16, 2007.
On November 8, 2007, President Saakashvili announced a compromise solution to hold early presidential elections
Georgian presidential election, 2008
A presidential election was held in Georgia on January 5, 2008, having been brought forward by President Mikheil Saakashvili after the 2007 Georgian demonstrations from the original date in autumn 2008....
for January 5, 2008. He also proposed to hold a referendum in parallel
Georgian legislative election date referendum, 2008
A binding referendum on whether to bring forward the 2008 legislative election from October 2008 to April/May 2008 was held in Georgia on 5 January 2008, together with an early presidential election and a referendum on joining NATO....
to snap presidential elections about when to hold parliamentary polls
Georgian legislative election, 2008
Parliamentary elections were held in Georgia on May 21, 2008. President Mikheil Saakashvili proposed a referendum on bringing them forward from October to April after the 2007 Georgian demonstrations...
– in spring as pushed for by the opposition parties, or in late 2008.
It is said to have been the worst political crisis in Georgia since the 2003 Rose Revolution
Rose Revolution
The "Revolution of Roses" was a change of power in Georgia in November 2003, which took place after having widespread protests over the disputed parliamentary elections...
that brought Saakashvili's government to power.
Background
Georgia in 2003 underwent a change of leadershipRose Revolution
The "Revolution of Roses" was a change of power in Georgia in November 2003, which took place after having widespread protests over the disputed parliamentary elections...
that saw the coming to power of Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili is a Georgian politician, the third and current President of Georgia and leader of the United National Movement Party.Involved in the national politics since 1995, Saakashvili became president on 25 January 2004 after President Eduard Shevardnadze resigned in a November 2003...
in 2004. Saakashvili, a U.S. trained lawyer and staunch advocate for closer integration with the NATO and European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, instituted reforms that saw the nations GDP triple and corruption drop since taking office. In 2006, the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
named Georgia as the top reformer in the world. Despite the progress, a significant portion of Georgia's population still live below the poverty line and Georgia is one of the poorest countries in the CIS
CIS
CIS usually refers to the Commonwealth of Independent States, a modern political entity consisting of eleven former Soviet Union republics.The acronym CIS may also refer to:-Organizations:...
. Growing incomes are offset by rising inflation; radical economic reforms and a crackdown on the black market left thousands unemployed; and since the reforms, many Georgians are having to pay tax and utility bills in full. Although the Saakashvili government has declared war on corruption, its critics alleges corruption in Saakashvili's own team, including his uncle - the entrepreneur Temur Alasania - and several ministers. The opponents say the authorities use selective application of the law to sideline political opponents, and accuse Saakashvili of authoritarian rule. The government has also come under the fire of criticism due to the use of heavy-handed police against the 2006 prison riot, as well as due to the underinvestigated high-profile murder case
Sandro Girgvliani Murder Case
The Sandro Girgvliani Murder Case is one of the most notorious criminal cases in the modern history of Georgia. The killing, and the events as a result of it, have generated heavy criticism of the current government, particularly the interior minister, and the extent to which reformist President...
involving police officers.
Saakashvili also inherited the issues of the Russian-backed unrecognized
Diplomatic recognition
Diplomatic recognition in international law is a unilateral political act with domestic and international legal consequences, whereby a state acknowledges an act or status of another state or government in control of a state...
breakaway republics of Abkhazia
Abkhazia
Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
and South Ossetia
South Ossetia
South Ossetia or Tskhinvali Region is a disputed region and partly recognized state in the South Caucasus, located in the territory of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the former Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic....
, which seceded from Georgia in the early 1990s. As of the time of the demonstrations, they were de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
independent
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
but de jure
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
part of Georgia. Saakashvili had made it part of his agenda to reincorporate them through peaceful means. Others within Saakashvili's government, such as the defence minister Irakli Okruashvili
Irakli Okruashvili
Irakli Okruashvili is a Georgian politician who had served on various important posts in the Government of Georgia under President Mikheil Saakashvili, including being the Minister of Defense from December 2004 until being dismissed in November 2006.In September 2007, Okruashvili staged a...
had been pushing for a military solution for these de facto republics.
Saaskashvili reassigned the portfolio of Okruashvili from defence to Minister of the Economy in November 2006. It was believed that the reassignment came due to Okruashvili’s aggressive stance on the secessionist conflicts. Okruashvili subsequently resigned his post.
On September 25, 2007, he announced the formation of the new opposition Movement for United Georgia and unleashed criticism on President Saakashvili, accusing him of corruption, incompetency and human rights violations. He also raised new concerns around Zurab Zhvania
Zurab Zhvania
Zurab Zhvania was a prominent Georgian politician, having served as Prime Minister of Georgia and Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia as well as Minister without Portfolio. Zhvania assumed premiership on 18 February 2004 and remained on the position until his death on 3 February 2005...
's death, challenging the official investigation point of view and personally accused the Georgian president of planning the murder of businessman Badri Patarkatsishvili
Badri Patarkatsishvili
Arkady "Badri" Patarkatsishvili was a wealthy Georgian businessman, who was also extensively involved in politics. He contested the 2008 Georgian presidential election and came third with 7.1% of the votes...
.
28 September 2007 protests
Protests started on September 28, 2007. There was no major trouble reported at the rally, except for some minor scuffles between protesters and police when the protesters spilled out onto Rustaveli AvenueRustaveli Avenue
Rustaveli Avenue - is an avenue in central Tbilisi named after the medieval Georgian poet, Shota Rustaveli. The Avenue starts at Freedom Square and extends for about 1.5 km in length, before it turns into an extension of Kostavas Kucha...
, blocking Tbilisi's main thoroughfare in front of the parliament. Demonstrators were demanding early elections, more accountability and honesty in politics.
The rally was organized by an alliance of major opposition parties with the exception of the New Rights
New Right (Georgia)
The New Rights Party of Georgia , also translated as New Conservative Party is a liberal conservative party in Georgia...
which distanced themselves from the manifestation stating that it was "not the way from one temple to another, it is substitute of one leader with another."
Okruashvili's comments
Mikheil Saakashvili
Mikheil Saakashvili is a Georgian politician, the third and current President of Georgia and leader of the United National Movement Party.Involved in the national politics since 1995, Saakashvili became president on 25 January 2004 after President Eduard Shevardnadze resigned in a November 2003...
. Okruashvili had been sacked by the president, in November 2006, from his post of Defense Minister allegedly under pressure from the West in September 2006.
At the presentation of his party For United Georgia, he accused Saakashvili of corruption, lobbying the interests of his own family, weakness towards separatists in Abkhazia
Abkhazia
Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
and South Ossetia
South Ossetia
South Ossetia or Tskhinvali Region is a disputed region and partly recognized state in the South Caucasus, located in the territory of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the former Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic....
, and a lack of morals. Okruashvili also claimed that the Georgian government had intentionally obscured the true reasons behind the death of former Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Georgia
The Prime Minister of Georgia is the most senior minister within the Cabinet of Georgia, appointed by the President of Georgia. The official title of the Head of the Government of Georgia has varied throughout history, however, the duties and functions of the leader have changed only marginally....
Zurab Zhvania
Zurab Zhvania
Zurab Zhvania was a prominent Georgian politician, having served as Prime Minister of Georgia and Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia as well as Minister without Portfolio. Zhvania assumed premiership on 18 February 2004 and remained on the position until his death on 3 February 2005...
. Zhvania had died while Prime Minister in February 2005. Okruashvili said that Zhvania's corpse had been taken to the apartment where he was found dead.
Okruashvili retracted his statements and admitted to the charges raised against him on 8 October 2007 on television, but he later said he made the statements due to being "psychologically pressured".
Okruashvili left Georgia around Nov. 1, 2007. He subsequently said he was forced into exile; the government said he left to seek medical treatment. The following April he was granted political asylum by the government of France. In September 2008, a French court rejected Georgia's extradition request. Okruashvili has been described as "a likely candidate to replace Saakashvili, if and when Georgian public opinion turns against the president."
Government's response
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
where he addressed the U.N. General Assembly and heavily criticized Russia's involvement in Georgia's breakaway territories. Meanwhile, Giga Bokeria
Giga Bokeria
Giorgi Bokeria is a Georgian politician and the current Secretary of the National Security Council of Georgia.During 1989–1995 Bokeria was one of the leaders of student movement, in particular active member of Press Club of Tbilisi State University...
, an influential member of the Parliament of Georgia
Parliament of Georgia
Parliament of Georgia is the supreme legislature of Georgia. It is unicameral and has 150 members, known as deputies, from which 75 members are proportional representatives and 75 are elected through single-member district plurality system, representing their constituencies...
from the ruling United National Movement party, said by voicing stunning, but groundless accusations Okruashvili wanted "to create some kind of immunity and untouchable status." On September 29, President Saakashvili headed to Upper Abkhazia
Upper Abkhazia
Upper Abkhazia is a term introduced in 2006, to denote the northeastern part of the disputed territory of Abkhazia, that had remained under Georgian control after the 1992 - 1993 War in Abkhazia. From September 2006 until August 2008 its main village, Chkhalta, hosted the Government of the...
where he attended opening of a new road linking Georgian-controlled areas in breakaway Abkhazia with Georgia proper. He made his first remarks on Okruashvili's accusations:
2 November 2007 protests
The protests continued in the following days; a televised statement from Okruashvili was seen as a boost in support for the opposition.
Twenty-three law enforcement officers were injured and 21 people were arrested during the riots.
TV footage showed some protesters throwing stones at riot policemen. They were dispersed by police a second time.
Two pro-opposition independent TV stations have gone off the air after Badri Patarkatsishvili
Badri Patarkatsishvili
Arkady "Badri" Patarkatsishvili was a wealthy Georgian businessman, who was also extensively involved in politics. He contested the 2008 Georgian presidential election and came third with 7.1% of the votes...
declared that "Nobody should doubt that all my efforts, my financial resources including the last tetri
Tetri
Tetri is a fractional currency used in the country of Georgia. It was put into circulation in 1995.The name tetri was adopted from the term describing golden, silver or copper coins known in ancient and medieval Georgia....
will be applied for freeing Georgia from Fascist regime": Imedi TV (that is co-owned by the media tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili
Badri Patarkatsishvili
Arkady "Badri" Patarkatsishvili was a wealthy Georgian businessman, who was also extensively involved in politics. He contested the 2008 Georgian presidential election and came third with 7.1% of the votes...
who sponsored the National Council recently set up by the ten opposition parties and has pledged to finance the rallies until the government is removed) and Kavkasia, located in the same building as Imedi TV. Police officers in masks and assault rifles were seen sealing off the Imedi office. Shortly afterwards, Mikheil Saakashvili declared a state of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
Georgia-wide to last for 15 days. As a result, news programs at all the private television stations will be shut down for 15 days. The publicly-funded Georgian Public Broadcasting
Georgian Public Broadcasting
Georgian Public Broadcasting is the national public broadcaster of Georgia. It started broadcasting radio in 1925, and Georgian TV started broadcasting in 1956. Today, 85% of the Georgian population receive the First Channel , and 55% receive the Second Channel...
(GPB) remained the only station allowed to provide news coverage.
On November 8, a "small group of students" gathered at Batumi
Batumi
Batumi is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast and capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia. Sometimes considered Georgia's second capital, with a population of 121,806 , Batumi serves as an important port and a commercial center. It is situated in a subtropical zone, rich in...
State University to rally against what they saw as the "police violence" that had occurred the previous day. According to eyewitnesses interviewed by Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
, "police attacked the group without warning, chasing and beating protesters trying to flee." Holly Cartner, Executive Director [of] Europe and Central Asia Division at Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
condemned what she described as "police attacks on peaceful protesters".
Soon, Georgia's opposition announced the suspension of anti-government protests in Tbilisi. Most of the opposition parties hailed President Saakashvili’s decision as the first step to end the political standoff, and agreed to the negotiations with Nino Burjanadze
Nino Burjanadze
Nino Burjanadze is a Georgian politician and lawyer who served as Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia from November 2001 to June 2008...
, the parliamentary chairperson.
By November 9, 2007, riot police and troops had been withdrawn from the main sites of the November 7 unrest. On the same day, Ilia II
Ilia II
Ilia II is the current Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia and the spiritual leader of the Georgian Orthodox Church...
, Catholicos-Patriarch
Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia
Catholicos–Patriarch has been the title of the heads of the Georgian Orthodox Church since 1010. The first Catholicos–Patriarch of All Georgia was Melkisedek I...
of the Georgian Orthodox Church met separately with Nino Burjanadze and opposition leaders and said that he was ready to mediate between the opposition and the authorities.
Government's response
Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli said a coup attempt was made.
On November 7, Georgia's Interior Ministry released taped audio and video material purporting to show some opposition leaders – Levan Berdzenishvili of the Republican Party
Republican Party of Georgia
The Republican Party of Georgia , commonly known as the Republicans , is a political party in Georgia active since 1978. It is currently in opposition to Mikheil Saakashvili’s government...
, Giorgi Khaindrava of opposition group Equality Institute, Konstantine Gamsakhurdia
Konstantine Gamsakhurdia (politician)
Konstantine "Koko" Gamsakhurdia is a Georgian politician and an Iranist. He is the leader of the political party Tavisupleba.- Biography :...
, the leader of the Freedom Movement and Shalva Natelashvili, the leader of Labor Party
Georgian Labour Party
The Georgian Labour Party is a political party in Georgia. The party is led by its founder Shalva Natelashvili.Its main goal is to make Georgia a democratic country and eventually to become a member of the European Union...
- cooperating with the Russian counter-intelligence service during a meeting with three Russian diplomats.
Gigi Ugulava, Tbilisi's mayor, defended the action by police, saying: "I was listening to one of the opposition leaders who was saying proudly they planned to pitch tents and set up a tent town in Tbilisi. "What we did is stop this because it is the will of the people not to have a tent town in Tbilisi."
Criticism of government actions
The opposition leaders, NGOs and the public defender of Georgia have harshly criticised the government actions. The police was accused of excessiveness, and it was alleged that groups of organized civilians were also engaged in the crackdown on the protesters. Illegal arrests, beatings and intimidations were reported. Concerns have been expressed about widespread practice of tapping private telephone conversations. The government has been accused of media control.In December 2008, Sozar Subari
Sozar Subari
Sozar Subari is a Georgian journalist and human rights activist who served as a Public Defender of Georgia from 2004 to 2009....
, Public Defender (Ombudsman
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
) of Georgia, claimed he had evidence that then Georgia's Interior Minister
Interior minister
An interior ministry is a government ministry typically responsible for policing, national security, and immigration matters. The ministry is often headed by a minister of the interior or minister of home affairs...
Vano Merabishvili
Vano Merabishvili
Ivane Merabishvili is a Georgian politician who has served as the country’s Ministry of Internal Affairs since December 18, 2004...
had ordered police to beat protesters, "mainly in the kidneys and the stomach." In his testimony before Georgian Parliament
Parliament of Georgia
Parliament of Georgia is the supreme legislature of Georgia. It is unicameral and has 150 members, known as deputies, from which 75 members are proportional representatives and 75 are elected through single-member district plurality system, representing their constituencies...
, Subari claimed that he possessed evidence that Defense Minister Davit Kezerashvili
Davit Kezerashvili
Davit Kezerashvili is a Georgian politician, who from November 10, 2006 to December 5, 2008 was the country's Minister of Defense.-Biography:...
, Justice Minister
Justice Minister
A justice ministry is a ministry or other government agency charged with justice. The ministry is often headed by a minister for justice or secretary of justice or secretary for justice; sometimes the head of a department of justice is entitled attorney general.Specific duties may relate to...
Zurab Adeishvili
Zurab Adeishvili
Zurab Adeishvili is a Georgian lawyer and politician, currently the Minister of Justice of Georgia since November 2008.-Early life:Adeishvili was born in the village of Mtisdziri in Qvareli district, then-Soviet Georgia...
and Davit Akhalaia (who had no official office then) had had a secret meeting at the office of Interior Ministry on November 4, 2007 where they had decided on the course of action for handling the demonstrations:
"The interior minister ordered that the demonstrators be hit mainly in the kidneys and the stomach, or in the face only when necessary. The interior minister also said at the meeting that not a single participant in the action must escape unbeaten in order to teach them a lesson for the future."
25 November 2007 protests
On November 25, 2007, thousands of protesters staged a three-hour peaceful demonstration demanding the re-opening of Imedi TV and radio stations. The protest, organized by a nine party opposition coalition, gathered in an area called The Rike in Tblisi and then moved to the front of the ParliamentParliament of Georgia
Parliament of Georgia is the supreme legislature of Georgia. It is unicameral and has 150 members, known as deputies, from which 75 members are proportional representatives and 75 are elected through single-member district plurality system, representing their constituencies...
.
International reaction
United States — The United States welcomed the Georgian government’s decision to hold early presidential elections, while urging to end the state of emergency and restore all media broadcasts.On November 13, 2007, Matthew Bryza, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs and the top U.S. envoy to the Caucasus, told reporters that he would be very surprised if there had been a real threat from Russia to destabilize Georgia.
Russia — The Russian Foreign Ministry rejected Saakashvili's accusations of backing the opposition rally calling it an "irresponsible provocation" designed by Georgian authorities to distract attention from domestic problems and blame them on a foreign scapegoat. It later issued a statement heavily criticizing the Georgian government for police lawlessness, arrests of opposition leaders and human rights activists, ban on activities of the independent media and beating of foreign journalists. Sweden — Foreign minister Carl BildtCarl Bildt
, Honorary KCMG is a Swedish politician, diplomat and nobleman. Formerly Prime Minister of Sweden from 1991 to 1994 and leader of the liberal conservative Moderate Party from 1986 to 1999, Bildt has served as Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs since 6 October 2006...
said that November 7 was a "very dark day for Georgia", but praised the decision to hold early presidential elections, adding that all parties now have to "return to the democratic path". "This is also a way to address the simplistic propaganda that is currently blazoned abroad by the big neighbor in the north (Russia)" /.../ "and to secure long-term stability in the country." Carl Bildt, who met with President Saakashvili in Tbilisi on November 2, has repeatedly said that: "To support and help the young democracies (in Eastern Europe) /.../ is something we (Europe) must do."
United Nations — Louise ArbourLouise Arbour
Louise Arbour, is the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, a former justice of the Supreme Court of Canada and the Court of Appeal for Ontario and a former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda...
, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, rebuked Georgia for its "disproportionate use of force" against protesters and said it must uphold fundamental rights even under a state of emergency. In a statement, she also expressed support for Georgia's public defender, or human rights ombudsman, and voiced concern at the silencing of independent television stations in the former Soviet republic.
NATO — Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
Jakob Gijsbert "Jaap" de Hoop Scheffer is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . He served as the 11th Secretary General of NATO from January 5, 2004 until August 1, 2009....
in a statement on November 8, 2007 said that “The imposition of Emergency Rule, and the closure of media outlets in Georgia, a Partner with which the Alliance has an Intensified Dialogue, are of particular concern and not in line with Euro-Atlantic values”
European Union — The EU foreign policy chief, Javier SolanaJavier Solana
Francisco Javier Solana de Madariaga, KOGF is a Spanish physicist and Socialist politician. After serving in the Spanish government under Felipe González and Secretary General of NATO , he was appointed the European Union's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Secretary...
, urged restraint from both sides, saying "political differences should be resolved within the democratic institutions".
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
— On December 20, 2007, Human Rights Watch released a 102-page report, named Crossing the Line: Georgia’s Violent Dispersal of Protestors and Raid on Imedi Television, criticising what it saw as the Government's "usage of excessive force" on protesters the police's raide on Imedi.
Crisis recedes
On 8 November 2007, Saakashvili announced he was planning snap presidential electionsGeorgian presidential election, 2008
A presidential election was held in Georgia on January 5, 2008, having been brought forward by President Mikheil Saakashvili after the 2007 Georgian demonstrations from the original date in autumn 2008....
for January 5, 2008. He also proposed to hold a simultaneous plebiscite
Georgian legislative election date referendum, 2008
A binding referendum on whether to bring forward the 2008 legislative election from October 2008 to April/May 2008 was held in Georgia on 5 January 2008, together with an early presidential election and a referendum on joining NATO....
about when to hold parliamentary polls
Georgian legislative election, 2008
Parliamentary elections were held in Georgia on May 21, 2008. President Mikheil Saakashvili proposed a referendum on bringing them forward from October to April after the 2007 Georgian demonstrations...
– in spring as pushed for by the opposition parties, or in late 2008. He also called for dialogue with the opposition parties which, he said, did not cooperate with the Russian intelligence, and promised to end the state of emergency within a few days.
The Georgian authorities charged Patarkatsishvili, who had earlier left for London, with plotting a coup. He died on February 12, 2008, in London.
On November 9, 2007, the Parliament of Georgia, in a complete absence of opposition lawmakers, backed the presidential decree imposing state of emergency and restrictions on media on the entire territory of Georgia to be in force until late November 22.
On November 10, 2007, the talks regarding the election code resumed between the ruling and opposition parties.
The nationwide state of emergency was lifted at 7pm local time on November 16, 2007, in accordance to the parliament's decree passed two days earlier. All media sources resumed broadcasting with the exception of Imedi TV which returned on air on December 12.
Economic Impact
Robert Christiansen, the head of the IMF's Georgia mission, indicated that the turmoil and pre-election uncertainty has dented Georgia's image with investors, adding that recovery was possible. He added that "recent political developments add considerable uncertainty to the projected volume of inflows for the remainder of this year and 2008".According to Prime minister Lado Gurgenidze, During the November turmoils Georgian economy lost nearly half a billion dollars of potential investments.
See also
- Movement for United GeorgiaMovement for United GeorgiaThe Movement for United Georgia is a Georgian political party founded by former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili on 27 September 2007. It is opposed to the current President Mikheil Saakashvili's supposed trend towards authoritarianism...
- Badri PatarkatsishviliBadri PatarkatsishviliArkady "Badri" Patarkatsishvili was a wealthy Georgian businessman, who was also extensively involved in politics. He contested the 2008 Georgian presidential election and came third with 7.1% of the votes...
- Rose RevolutionRose RevolutionThe "Revolution of Roses" was a change of power in Georgia in November 2003, which took place after having widespread protests over the disputed parliamentary elections...
- Human Rights in GeorgiaHuman rights in Georgia (country)Human rights in Georgia are guaranteed by the country's constitution. There is an independent human rights public defender elected by the parliament to ensure such rights are enforced...