00:01No one can keep a mother at home when she's desperate.
00:04I will walk everywhere just so I can hold my child, all of our children, to my heart.
00:12Over a year ago, massive protests rocked the country of Georgia.
00:16Many, particularly young people, accused the government of turning its back on the EU.
00:20They warned of a shift towards authoritarianism.
00:23Police responded with force.
00:26Hundreds were arrested.
00:30They are arrested and they are being punished for their beliefs rather than for committing any unlawful acts.
00:39But the mothers of those in jail aren't giving in.
00:42They're fighting for their children's freedom.
00:48It's late morning in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi.
00:51A group of mothers and a father are meeting far from the touristy town center.
00:58They're here to distribute their newspaper.
01:00In it, stories of their imprisoned children.
01:05My son has eight square meters to live in.
01:09I can't stand by.
01:12Nani's son was sentenced to five years in prison.
01:15She insists the move was political.
01:19Some people at the market already know his story.
01:23I'm so glad you know our boy's story.
01:27We put our hope in those boys, those strong, brave boys.
01:31I see much hope in them.
01:35Their mothers have traveled the country with their newspapers.
01:37Others, they've published the prisoners' biographies and letters from behind bars.
01:43But not everyone is on their side.
01:46Like this woman.
01:48When she realizes the paper is about the arrested protesters, she hands it right back.
01:54Off camera, she criticizes them.
01:59In Georgia, public opinion is fiercely divided.
02:02For some, the government is an anti-democratic adversary.
02:06For others, it's all that guarantees safety and stability.
02:11In late November 2024, the Georgian prime minister suspended talks on EU accession for several years.
02:19It sparked wide-scale protest.
02:28Polls show over 80% of Georgians support joining the EU.
02:33The day after the announcement, Nani San Gheorgi joined the protests.
02:41For Gheorgi, this is the right path.
02:44The path to the European Union.
02:47That's where he sees a brighter future.
02:50In her apartment, Nani has created a small shrine to her son.
02:55She's always thinking of him and his arrest.
03:01Three men in plain clothes suddenly appeared.
03:03They didn't even let him grab a jacket.
03:06I held his hand as they took him away.
03:12Georgi was given a five-year sentence.
03:14Just 21 years old, a medical student.
03:17He was accused of attacking a police officer with a firework during the protest.
03:23Nani says he didn't hurt anyone, but video evidence was tampered with.
03:30Sandro Baramica from Transparency International says his is far from an isolated case.
03:39We studied the criminal case files of several dozens of people who have been convicted already.
03:50In each and every case, the verdicts were delivered in huge violation of human rights,
03:57including the fair trial principles.
04:00Then why do the judges decide the way they do?
04:03Because we don't have independent courts in this country.
04:07Critics accuse the government of filling key positions with party loyalists
04:11and warn of growing political influence over the courts.
04:15Estimates from Transparency International suggest there are over 100 political prisoners here.
04:21It's drawn sharp criticism from the EU.
04:25Georgia has more political prisoners per capita than Russia.
04:31In response to a DW request for an interview,
04:35a spokesperson for the ruling Georgian Dream Party replied,
04:38I don't know how much desire I have to deal with violent prisoners.
04:43The family member of a criminal and a member of parliament have nothing to do with each other.
04:49But Nani and Georgi are undeterred.
04:52He writes from prison.
04:56Dear mothers, don't worry. Stand strong.
05:01Take good care of each other.
05:03They won't break us.
05:04We will win.
05:07This victory will be just.
05:09And it will go down in history.
05:14Nani draws comfort from the community of mothers.
05:18Maritzi's son, Tornika, was sentenced to two years in prison.
05:21These women, once strangers, are now brought together by their anguish.
05:28We share the same pain, the same sorrow.
05:32We talk about everything together, the bad and the good.
05:37When we mothers hold hands like this, that's how we've done things for a while now.
05:46Nani is holding out for a change in power and the day her son can once again walk free.
05:52Until then, these mothers stand united.
05:55Shared family.
05:55They are filled with homes of indigenous people of South Africa.
05:57Ready and leave for a great time.
06:01promises for us.
06:01All this war was really hard for us.
06:01The that'sany of our sisters.
06:02This had lots of the lives of fun
Comments