Protesters in Tbilisi called for the release of one of those arrested for blocking a road.

The protest in Tbilisi, demanding new parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners, continued for the 400th day in a row. Protesters appealed to the Prosecutor General's Office to change the pretrial detention of 61-year-old Zurab Menteshashvili, who was remanded in custody for repeatedly blocking a road.

As reported by Caucasian Knot, on New Year's Eve, for the 399th day in a row, protesters gathered on Rustaveli Avenue. Georgia's fifth president, Salome Zourabichvili, also arrived on Rustaveli Avenue. She wished those gathered a Happy New Year and victory.

On the 400th day of continuous protests in Tbilisi, demonstrators once again gathered outside the parliament building on Rustaveli Avenue despite the falling snow, Tbilisi Life reported today.

The protesters sang Georgian national songs dedicated to the New Year's holiday, according to the publication "Publika."

Let this be the year of victory—that's how people congratulated each other on Rustaveli Avenue. A new year has arrived, marking the beginning of the longest and most tireless protest in the country's modern history. 400 days on the streets, and the countdown to the next stage of the struggle began at midnight. There was a festive dinner, a concert, addresses, and messages to future generations. The only exception were family members of prisoners of conscience, who celebrated the New Year not on Rustaveli Avenue, but near the prisons where their children had celebrated the holiday in their cells for the past year, according to the Pirveli television channel.

Protest participants today appealed to the Prosecutor General's Office and the prosecutor in the Zurab Menteshashvili case with a request to change his pretrial detention, according to Tabula.

61-year-old Zurab Menteshashvili was arrested on November 1, 2025, on criminal charges of "repeatedly blocking a road" and faces up to one year in prison if convicted. Menteshashvili has been in prison on a hunger strike for 62 days.

Protesters say they are ready to post bail for Menteshashvili. "We would like to appeal to the Prosecutor General's Office and the prosecutor in Zurab Menteshashvili's case to show understanding and change his pre-trial detention to release on bail without imprisonment until Christmas," the protesters said.

The main thing about the persecution of protesters in Georgia

As a reminder, in October, after the adoption of amendments to the laws, security forces began href="https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/416666">mass detentions of protesters on Rustaveli Avenue. Most of them are accused of blocking the avenue and obstructing traffic.

Protesters in Georgia have been demanding new parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners since November 28, 2024. They have been holding daily protests on Rustaveli Avenue. Security forces have violently dispersed the protests, using tear gas and water cannons, and detained protesters. More than a thousand people have been subjected to administrative prosecution.