The Georgian Parliament has expeditiously passed a bill in its third and final reading requiring organizers of protests in "places where people gather or where vehicles are moving" (including on sidewalks) to notify the police. The responsible person must contact the Patrol Service Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (located at the location of the demonstration) in writing no later than five days before the rally.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has pardoned Nika Gvaramia, director general of the opposition Mtavari Arkhi TV channel. Last year, the Tbilisi City Court sentenced ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili's associate to 3.5 years in prison in a case of inflicting 6.8 million lari ($2.6 million) on Rustavi 2 TV company. The country's Supreme Court recently upheld the lower court's decision.
The opposition considers Nika Gvaramia a political prisoner.
The decision to pardon him will cost the political biography of President Salome Zurabishvili quite dearly. This was stated by Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Gia Volsky. At the same time, Volsky called Zurabishvili's refusal to explain the reasons for his decision “humiliating society”.