(28 Oct 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tbilisi, Georgia – 28 October 2024
1. Crowd of protestors outside parliament
2. Various of Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili talking on stage in front of protestors
3. Close of phone screen showing Zourabichvili
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Emma Burrows, Associated Press:
"Thousands of Georgians have come out onto the streets of the capital tonight to protest against an election they believe wasn’t free or fair. Their president, Salome Zourabichvili, called them out after an election at the weekend, which she said was stolen. She told AP earlier that she believes the Russian security services were involved in meddling."
5. Protestor holding a poster reading (English): "Georgia votes for EU"
6. Protestors
7. Close of poster reading (English): "These were not elections, this was a Russian special operation."
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Emma Burrows, Associated Press:
"Many Georgians are concerned that Georgian Dream is taking the country away from the EU and towards Russia, towards Moscow’s orbit. This is a country that was ruled by Moscow until 1991 when Georgia gained independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union. In this past year, Georgian Dream has introduced increasingly repressive laws cracking down on freedom of speech, and that has caused Brussels to suspend and halt permanently for now, Georgia’s European path."
9. People protesting
10. Protestor wrapped in European Union flag
11. Various of people protesting
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Emma Burrows, Associated Press:
"Salome Zourabichvili said earlier to us that she is calling on the West, the EU, the United States not to abandon Georgia. Many people here tonight are hoping that these protests will make a big difference. But there have been protests in this country before. Thousands of people turned out onto the streets earlier this year to protest against the so-called Russian law, which was modelled on a law introduced by the Kremlin. The issue for these people now is what direction this country will go in. The election is now over, but the battle for the future of this country is only just beginning."
13. Pan left of people protesting
14. Man standing with banner: "Georgia chooses Europe"
15. Protestors hugging
STORYLINE:
Tens of thousands of Georgians massed outside parliament Monday night, demanding the annulment of the weekend parliamentary election, which the president has alleged was rigged with the help of Russia.
The rally deepened the political crisis in the South Caucasus country, where the governing Georgian Dream party has become increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow.
Salome Zourabichvili, a mostly ceremonial president, told the crowd that she would defend the country’s path toward Europe against actions by the Georgian Dream.
Zourabichvili, who refused to recognise the official results, earlier told The Associated Press that Georgia has fallen victim to Russian pressure against joining the EU.
The U.S. and the European Union urged full investigations of the result of Saturday’s election.
The Central Election Commission said Georgian Dream received 54.8% of the vote with almost all ballots counted.
The party — established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a shadow billionaire who made his fortune in Russia — has adopted laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights.
AP video by Kostya Manenkov
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