Letzte Nacht kam es in der georgischen Hauptstadt Tbilissi zu Polizeirazzien im Club Bassiani und im Café Gallery. Grund dafür sind wohl mehrere Menschen, die in den letzten Wochen aufgrund einer bisher unbekannten Subtanz zu Tode kamen. Mit Maschinengewehren ausgestattete Polizisten in schwerer Einsatzmontur stürmten die Läden und verhafteten Personen, die mit Drogen gehandelt haben sollen. Es kam zu spontanen Auseinandersetzungen zwischen Polizei und Protestierenden, die der Clubszene zugerechnet werden. In diesem Zuge wurden etwa 60 Menschen festgenommen.
We just woke up to very disturbing news: the Georgian police have raided BASSIANI and CAFE-GALLERY under the pretense of action against drug crime, and arrested amongst others multiple of our friends, amongst them the founders of Bassiani, Zviad Gelbakhiani and Tato Getia.
Both venues have hosted our first Boiler Room broadcasts from Georgia last year and are two of the most exceptional community spaces for music we have ever visited world-wide. They are not only places of entertainment, but important and bright spots of free expression, societal development and social changes. They are also important safe space for queer youth in the region – many who had to flee the violent prosecution of gays in Checheny found refugee in the club community of Tblisi.
This happened under use of excessive force against workers and guests of both clubs. The police has also attacked protestors on the streets who gathered spontaneously to protest this politically motivated action.
At the moment it is known that up to 60 people got detained, but the real number is supposed to be signficantly higher.
FYI: Georgian law punishes rape with six years of prison, the possesion of a small amount of soft drugs like marijuana with up to 14 years. No distinction is made between possession of drugs for personal use and for trafficking.
This is absolutely unacceptable; the clubs are being used as political instruments for a worrisome campaign against the principles of our community – tolerance, diversity and freedom of expression.
We fully support our friends and the community in Georgia and condemn this shameful act by the Georgian government against all the ideas and values that unite millions of music fans world-wide!
Gepostet von Boiler Room am Samstag, 12. Mai 2018
Es scheint ganz offenbar um Repressionen gegen die georgische Clubszene zu gehen, der – wie auch schon früher woanders – eine explizite Mitschuld an gängiger Drogenkriminalität und einer sich daraus angenommenen Subversion gegeben werden soll. So wie schon beim Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 in UK.
Heute Nachmittag protestierten tausende Menschen tanzend und mit Bengalos vor dem georgischen Parlament in Tbilissi gegen diese Repressionen der Regierung. Man forderte dort den Rücktritt des Premiers Giorgi Kvirikashvili und des Innenministers Giorgi Gakharia.
happening now in Tbilisi. electronic music in front of Parliament! thousands are gathering in front of Parliament of Georgia and protest last night raid’s . they protest drug policy of the country and demand resignation of prime minister and ministry of internal affair of Georgia.
In Berlin kam es zu Soli-Veranstaltungen.
