vika dzandzava 🇬🇪🇪🇺🇺🇦

Tomorrow, a friend will have a court hearing for standing on the sidewalk. According to the regime's new law, even just standing on the sidewalk is illegal. She is under 160 cm and less than 50 kg, and will likely face a few days' jail time for 'blocking the road on the sidewalk'. The regime forces received various forms of assistance from Hungary, Russia, Iran, and China. Meanwhile, my supposed allies are nowhere to be found... Not even strongly worded letters these days. I am unable to protect the people I love; I don't even know what to do with this feeling anymore. I am emotionally drained, and I am tired of fighting against the monster that is thousands of times bigger than myself. I don't even know why I write these at this point... Except maybe I am hoping that someone important will read this and will do something to help us.

A new line has been crossed in Georgia. For the first time, Georgian Dream is prosecuting a protester for standing on a sidewalk. Ani Akhmeteli has been charged under Article 174¹ for allegedly “obstructing movement” simply by standing on the sidewalk during a protest near Parliament on Dec 17. Her court hearing is set for Dec 25. She faces up to 15 days of detention, and up to a year in jail for repeated 'offenses'. Context: Under a new law, citizens must notify police five days in advance about any protest—even on sidewalks. Police then have three days to respond and may dictate an alternative place, route, or time. After receiving such notifications, police have issued a decision that the daily Rustaveli protests may only take place in the small area directly in front of Parliament—not on the main sidewalk—and must not “obstruct movement.” 📷 Ani Akhmeteli via Aprili Media