25.05.2005 - Source: Amnesty International

In 2004, the government of Aslan Abashidze intensified its clampdown on dissent following the “Rose Revolution” of November 2003 ("Annual Report 2005") [#32289],  [ID 5731]

"This included the detention and in some cases ill-treatment of activists critical of Aslan Abashidze and his policies, and ill-treatment and intimidation of independent journalists. AI received numerous reports of excessive use of force by Abashidze supporters against demonstrators critical of the Ajarian authorities.

In February, Gocha Khvichia and Imeda Tavdgeridze, two members of the youth movement Kmara!, which was particularly vocal in criticizing the Ajarian authorities, were allegedly beaten by Ajarian law enforcement officers at a checkpoint. The two young men, together with another Kmara! member, Sofiko Pataraia, and her sister, had been taken off a bus travelling from Tbilisi to Batumi after the officers had found Kmara! leaflets in their bags. All four were detained in a house near the checkpoint. Reportedly, the young women were forced to watch the two men being beaten and kicked by some 20 men, some of whom were masked. They were threatened and warned not to contact journalists or human rights organizations. The four were released later that day."

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04.05.2004 - Source: BBC News

Adzharia: dozens injured in the protest by students and teachers against local leader Aslan Abashidze in Batumi ("Renegade Georgia boss cracks down") [#21927],  [ID 5732]

"Security forces in Batumi, the capital of the rebel Georgian province of Ajaria, have broken up a protest against local leader Aslan Abashidze.
Dozens are said to have been injured in the protest by students and teachers, amid mounting tensions between Mr Abashidze and Georgia's president."

Document(s): Open document

02.05.2004 - Source: Civil Georgia

Adzharia: One opposition activist arrested and five others beaten up in Batumi ("Opposition Activists Beaten Up, Arrested in Batumi") [#21821],  [ID 5733]

"One opposition activist was arrested and five others beaten up in Adjarian capital Batumi on May 2, according to the Our Adjara, which is a major opposition movement to the Adjarian leader Alan Abashidze."

Document(s): Open document

30.04.2004 - Source: Prima News

Adzharia: Three officials of Adzharia’s abolished State Security Ministry who refused to obey Abashidze left for Tbilisi ("Officials of Adzharia’s abolished State Security Ministry leave Batumi") [#21816],  [ID 5734]

Document(s): Open document

16.04.2004 - Source: Prima News

Adzharia: Supporters of Aslan Abashidze disperse opposition rally ("Opposition rally dispersed in Adzharia") [#21460],  [ID 5735]

"On Wednesday night in the centre of Kobuleti, Adzharian leader Aslan Abashidze’s supporters dispersed a rally held by representatives of United Opposition — Our Adzharia, who demanded second round of parliamentary elections in Kobuleti and Khulo districts of the autonomy."

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26.03.2004 - Source: Prima News

Adzharia: Activists of "Kmara!" youth movement beaten up in Batumi ("“Kmara!” Activists Beaten Up In Batumi") [#20810],  [ID 5736]

"Tutberidze, one of the “Kmara!” leaders told journalists that the attackers were demanding the activists disband the youth movement under threat of eviction from the territory of the Adzhari autonomous republic.

According to Tutberidze, one of the activists was seriously injured and is likely to be taken to Tbilisi because local doctors are treating representatives of the movement. “with carelessness”."

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17.03.2004 - Source: Prima News

Adzharia: opposition activists state they have to hide out in the region’s villages or churches due to repression ("Opposition members hide in churches") [#20717],  [ID 5737]

"Due to brutal repression in the Autonomous Republic of Adzharia, opposition activists have to hide out in the region’s villages or churches.

Nato Imnadze, one of the leaders of the United Opposition Our Adzharia and head of Gouria-Adzharian regional office, stated on Wednesday that she wanted to stay in Batoumi together with her party peers but Adzharia’s Interior Minister Jemal Goghitidze denied her entry into the region."

Document(s): Open document

16.03.2004 - Source: Prima News

Tamaz Diasamidze of “United Opposition – Our Adzharia” says people opposed to Abashidze’s policy are gathering to go to Batumi ("Adzharian opposition reveals mobilization of its supporters") [#20497],  [ID 5738]

"The “United Opposition – Our Adzharia” movement has issued a statement concerning the mobilization of its supporters. Tamaz Diasamidze, one of the leaders of “United Opposition – Our Adzharia” told PRIMA this Monday that in all the populated areas of Adzharia, people opposed to Abashidze’s policy are gathering, to make their way to Batumi."

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25.02.2004 - Source: Prima News

Ajaria: Unknown people have burnt the Batumi office of the “Christian-Democratic Union” and severely beaten its local hub leader Avtandil Darchia ("Opposition Party Office On Fire in Ajaria") [#19615],  [ID 5739]

Document(s): Open document

05.02.2004 - Source: Prima News

Adzharia: Opposition movements 'Our Adzharia' and 'Democratic Adzharia' united with the puprose to change the regime of the present head of Autonomous Republic of Adzharia Aslan Abashidze ("Opposition in Ajaria unites") [#19175],  [ID 5741]

Document(s): Open document

30.01.2004 - Source: Human Rights Center

Ajaria: On January 28, one more "Kmara" activist detained in Batumi for distributing leaflets ("Adjara: No End of Repressions") [#19433],  [ID 5740]

"On January 28 one more "Kmara" activist was detained in Batumi, charged with distributing propaganda leaflets. On the same day movement "Kmara" arranged the protest march in Batumi and demanded the release of the detainee.

On the same day the policemen took away the camera from an operator of "Imedi" Broadcasting Company. The camera was only returned a few hours later after the intervention of the Ministry of Internal Affairs"

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15.01.2004 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

A political confrontation is emerging in semi-independent province of Ajaria, with supporters of the Kmara movement fighting the supporters of Abashidze ("Georgia: Ajaria Tension Grows") [#18799],  [ID 5742]

"Less than two months after November’s peaceful revolution in Tbilisi ended in victory for the opposition, a political confrontation is emerging in Georgia’s semi-independent province of Ajaria on the Black Sea

On January 7-8, a group of five people, activists from the youth movement Kmara that had supported president-elect Mikael Saakashvili and their relatives, were arrested by the authorities of Ajarian leader Aslan Abashidze.
[...]
But, to Abashidze’s alarm, following Saakashvili’s resounding victory, supporters of the Kmara movement which helped him come to power, have shifted their attention to Ajaria.

“The new deterioration of the situation in Ajaria, which is happening despite the agreement apparently reached in December, can be explained by the irreversible revolutionary process which has taken over the whole country,” said political analyst Levan Berdzenishvili, who is close to the new administration in Tbilisi."

Document(s): Open document

13.01.2004 - Source: EurasiaNet

Ajaria: Georgia’s interim government is providing support for an anti-Abashidze political initiative ("Abashidze Faces Pressure To Adjust To Georgia’s New Political Reality") [#18751],  [ID 5743]

Document(s): Open document

25.11.2003 - Source: Prima News

Georgia/Adzhariya: “The Union for Democratic Revival” announced a boycott of the repeated parliamentary and presidential elections; state of emergency declared in Autonomous Republic of Adzhariya; contacts to the centre have been temporarily severed ("Supporters of Shevardhadze gather in Batumi") [#17829],  [ID 5744]

"“The Union for Democratic Revival” announced a boycott of the repeated parliamentary and early presidential elections. At the moment almost all the leaders of “The Union for Democratic Revival” are in Batumi.

The head of the Autonomous Republic of Adzhariya, Aslan Abashidze announced on Sunday evening that a state of emergency had been declared in Adzhariya and contacts with the centre severed until the situation there had been clarified. In his address on Adzhar television Abashidze also announced the borders of the autonomous republic were being closed."

Document(s): Open document

10.2003 - Source: Human Rights Center

00.10.2003 - HRIDC: Protest meeting of opposition party National Movement dispersed by local authorities ("Monthly Bulletin 10 (56), October 2003") [#17235],  [ID 5745]

"On October 23, local authorities in the Adjaran Autonomous Republic broke up a protest rally organized by the National Movement opposition party. Police clashed with protesters, and one of the leaders of the National Movement, MP Koba Davitashvili, was beaten up during the conflict.

Government officials gave permission for the National Movement to hold a protest meeting in the stadium in the Adjaran capital of Batumi, but The National Movement instead attempted to hold a protest rally in front of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic, with many National Movement supporters chanting the slogan “Adjara without Abashidze [head of the Autonomous Republic].”

The National Movement accuses Aslan Abashidze of dictatorial rule in the region.
Reports say that the office of the National Movement was attacked in Batumi and in Kobuleti, allegedly by the supporters of Abashidze’s party “Revival Union”. Office equipment was de-stroyed, and a member of the National Movement, Gia Khabazi, who will run for single man-date constituency, was beaten.

The interior troops and police are on high alert in Adjara, patrolling the streets of Batumi.
Earlier, activists of the National Movement were blocked at the Choloki checkpoint, which divides Adjara from the rest of Georgia. In addition, the head of Adjarian branch of National Movement, David Berdzenishvili, was attacked and severely beaten by numerous unidentified persons. Journalists recorded the incident on video. Berdzenishvili also received death threats upon his arrival in Batumi. He will run for MP in the Batumi single-mandate constituency, and will compete with Jemal Gogitidze, one of the leaders of the Revival Union. (The footage of this event can be downloaded from Fair Elections' web page: http://www.fairelections.ge/video/berdzenishvili.mpg, also available in real media format: http://www.fairelections.ge/video/berdzenishvili.rm).

In spite of ample evidence, Adjaran authorities are not conducting an investigation. Instead, Adjaran authorities claim the protest rally was an attempted coup d’etat, and are bring crimi-nal charges against the National Movement."

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