A Georgian court sentenced eight pro-European protesters accused of violence during anti-government protests last year to up to two and a half years in prison today, Agence France-Presse reported, BTA reported.
According to Georgian media, three protesters were sentenced to two and a half years in prison, and the other five to two years. All of them were found guilty by a court in the capital Tbilisi of "organizing or participating in group actions that violated public order".
The charges were brought after a series of arrests of opposition leaders, human rights activists and journalists – repression that has sparked concern and condemnation from several Western countries, AFP notes.
Georgia, an official candidate for EU membership, has been facing a serious political crisis since the victory of the "Georgian Dream" party in the October 2024 parliamentary elections. The result of the vote was rejected by the opposition and sparked major protests.
The opposition accused the party, which froze EU membership talks, of pro-Russian authoritarianism - charges that were rejected by the government.
"Terror in Georgia - another politically motivated conviction today", wrote former president and opposition leader Salome Zurabishvili on the social network "Ex". "This is a state-led crackdown that undermines freedom, justice and Georgia's European path," she added.
Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of Tbilisi for months, but protesters say the atmosphere of repression has gradually led to a decline in the number of demonstrators, AFP reported.
Ahead of last year's elections, Georgian Dream announced its intention to ban all major opposition parties. Brussels has said Georgia's retreat from democracy is taking it further away from its bid for EU membership, a goal enshrined in the country's constitution and supported by around 80 percent of the population according to opinion polls.
The United States and several European countries have imposed sanctions on some of Georgian Dream's leaders.