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).
Two people have been prosecuted for burning the EU flag in front of the city hall. The first participant in the crime was fined, and an administrative case was initiated against the second. The materials were transferred to the Tbilisi City Court, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.
The day before, the leaders of the pro-Kremlin radical movement Alt-Info, Zurab Makharadze and Irakli Martynenko, burned the EU flag at the Tbilisi City Hall. Thus, they expressed support for activist Lasha Sharukhia, who was accused of destroying state property in a socially dangerous way after he burned the EU flag near the administration of the city of Mtskheta.
For insulting the EU and NATO flags in Georgia, punishment is provided, namely a fine of 1,000 lari ($370), for a repeated offense - 2,000 lari ($740) or 15 days of arrest.