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Gedevan Popkhadze: We are protesting the situation that has been created and saying that we must confront it with united strength – we are on hunger strike as a sign of protest, not to make someone change their mind or act differently

Gedevan Popkhadze: We are protesting the situation that has been created and saying that we must confront it with united strength – we are on hunger strike as a sign of protest, not to make someone change their mind or act differently
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The main thing is that we are on hunger strike as a sign of protest, not to make someone change their mind or act differently, said Gedevan Popkhadze, a member of the "Coalition for Change," who is on hunger strike and responded to Elene Khoshtaria’s statement that she would end her hunger strike if the opposition agreed not to participate in the elections.

According to him, he and Elene Khoshtaria are protesting the situation that has been created and say that they must confront it with united strength.

“There is great evil happening in the country. The government has directly seized [the country] and is dragging it toward Russia, establishing a Putinist regime here. In this situation, when there are so many political prisoners, when there is horror in the courts, when state institutions have lost legitimacy – at this time we are protesting the situation and saying we must confront it with united strength. That is the main context, not who makes what decision about local elections,” said Gedevan Popkhadze.

Asked whether they would stop the hunger strike if the opposition announced it would refuse to participate in the local elections, Popkhadze explained that “a united opposition front is a much stronger argument against the regime than empathy toward hunger strikers.”

“They have no empathy at all. If something happened to me and, say, I died, they wouldn’t even issue a death notice, as a former MP. They consider holding power and keeping their seats a far greater good than showing basic sympathy. When your two former colleagues are on hunger strike and the health committee has the opportunity to come and ask what you need and they won’t even establish that communication, when they mock and ridicule the German ambassador for coming here – that means you have lost any moral standard. That’s why united strength is a bigger argument than hunger strike. If there is a united force here that says, ‘let’s fight uncompromisingly without cooperation or legitimization,’ I’d rather stand with them than continue the hunger strike. If I saw Rustaveli Avenue filled with all political forces and the Georgian people – hunger strike wouldn’t be the solution. Why should Elene Khoshtaria sacrifice herself to make this regime feel empathy, when it has none?” said Popkhadze.

For reference, politicians Elene Khoshtaria and Gedevan Popkhadze began a hunger strike in front of the Georgian parliament as a sign of protest. Their hunger strike was joined by civil activists Vasil Eliava, Giorgi Stepanova, and Bacho Kutsia.

Gedevan Popkhadze: We are protesting the situation that has been created and saying that we must confront it with united strength – we are on hunger strike as a sign of protest, not to make someone change their mind or act differently

The main thing is that we are on hunger strike as a sign of protest, not to make someone change their mind or act differently, said Gedevan Popkhadze, a member of the "Coalition for Change," who is on hunger strike and responded to Elene Khoshtaria’s statement that she would end her hunger strike if the opposition agreed not to participate in the elections.

According to him, he and Elene Khoshtaria are protesting the situation that has been created and say that they must confront it with united strength.

“There is great evil happening in the country. The government has directly seized [the country] and is dragging it toward Russia, establishing a Putinist regime here. In this situation, when there are so many political prisoners, when there is horror in the courts, when state institutions have lost legitimacy – at this time we are protesting the situation and saying we must confront it with united strength. That is the main context, not who makes what decision about local elections,” said Gedevan Popkhadze.

Asked whether they would stop the hunger strike if the opposition announced it would refuse to participate in the local elections, Popkhadze explained that “a united opposition front is a much stronger argument against the regime than empathy toward hunger strikers.”

“They have no empathy at all. If something happened to me and, say, I died, they wouldn’t even issue a death notice, as a former MP. They consider holding power and keeping their seats a far greater good than showing basic sympathy. When your two former colleagues are on hunger strike and the health committee has the opportunity to come and ask what you need and they won’t even establish that communication, when they mock and ridicule the German ambassador for coming here – that means you have lost any moral standard. That’s why united strength is a bigger argument than hunger strike. If there is a united force here that says, ‘let’s fight uncompromisingly without cooperation or legitimization,’ I’d rather stand with them than continue the hunger strike. If I saw Rustaveli Avenue filled with all political forces and the Georgian people – hunger strike wouldn’t be the solution. Why should Elene Khoshtaria sacrifice herself to make this regime feel empathy, when it has none?” said Popkhadze.

For reference, politicians Elene Khoshtaria and Gedevan Popkhadze began a hunger strike in front of the Georgian parliament as a sign of protest. Their hunger strike was joined by civil activists Vasil Eliava, Giorgi Stepanova, and Bacho Kutsia.

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