Georgian PM: No place for repression, but crime must be punished Speaking on recent unrest in the country

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has stated that while Georgia rejects the notion of political repression, law enforcement agencies were compelled to act in response to the recent wave of violent unrest in the country, detaining individuals involved in the disturbances to prevent a sense of impunity from taking root.

Georgian media sources report that Kobakhidze made these remarks while commenting on the legal response to the unrest that erupted on November 28, 2024, per Caliber.Az.

The protests were triggered by the government’s controversial decision to postpone opening EU accession talks until 2028. The demonstrations led to clashes with law enforcement, leaving more than 170 police officers injured. To date, 32 individuals have been charged with criminal offences related to the riots.

“It’s basic logic: if a crime goes unpunished, it becomes an incentive for more crime,” Kobakhidze said. “That’s why the state cannot stand by passively—it must react to criminal acts.”

The prime minister emphasised that around 30 people were taken into custody, largely as a preventive measure to uphold public order and ensure justice is served.

“No one in this country supports repression,” he noted, “but from a preventive point of view, it is critically important that justice be enforced.”

According to Kobakhidze, approximately 1,000 individuals took part in acts of violence during the protests, yet only about 30 were detained. He attributed this low number of arrests—just 3% of the violent participants—to the thoroughness and rigour of the investigative process.

“This fact—30 detentions out of roughly 1,000 violent participants—demonstrates the high standard of investigation in Georgia,” the prime minister said. “No one was detained without incontrovertible evidence or proper identification. The legal process must continue in line with this standard. But at the same time, we cannot allow an atmosphere of impunity to prevail in our country.”

By Tamilla Hasanova