Thunberg stages pro-democracy rally in Georgia

TBILISI: Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg staged a pro-democracy rally in Georgia´s capital of Tbilisi to denounce “authoritarianism” in the country and neighbouring Azerbaijan, where the UN COP29 climate conference opened on Monday.

Delegates from nearly 200 countries gathered for the two-week forum in Azerbaijan´s capital Baku, where negotiators are being urged to increase a $100 billion-a-year target in climate funding for developing nations.

On Monday evening, Thunberg led several dozen protesters who gathered in Tbilisi´s Freedom square for what she called a rally “against the wave of authoritarianism and exploitation sweeping through the Caucasus”.

Demonstrators brandished placards that read “Free 300 political prisoners in Azerbaijan” and “Democracy for Georgia”. “Azerbaijan, using COP29 as a facade, is ramping up control under a false ´green´ agenda, tightening its grip on power, and escalating regional tensions,” Thunberg posted on X. The European Parliament has also criticised the Azerbaijani government´s crackdown on critics and said its “ongoing human rights abuses are incompatible” with hosting the summit.