Elena Patyaeva—a friend of Seda Suleymanova, who disappeared three years ago after being forcibly returned from St. Petersburg to Chechnya—was detained in Grozny. On August 23, Patyaeva stood by the monument to journalists who died for freedom of speech, holding a sign that read: "I demand an investigation into the murder of Seda Suleymanova." This was reported by the human rights project "Slovo Zashchite" (Word for the Defense).
The reunification of Georgia with the European family is an irreversible prospect. The country's President Salome Zurabishvili wrote about this on the social network after yesterday at a meeting of the European Council in Brussels it was decided to grant Georgia candidate status for joining the EU.
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili also congratulated his fellow citizens on the republic’s progress towards European integration. “I would like to invite you all to Freedom Square on December 15 so that we can together celebrate this historic victory of our country and our people. This day should be a day of common, national holiday and common victory,” Garibashvili said.
In turn, Foreign Minister Ilya Darchiashvili noted that the EU’s decision is recognition of Georgia’s aspirations, its many years of efforts and the progress achieved.