The mother of Anastasia Zinovkina, a Russian citizen detained during pro-European protests in Georgia, was denied entry into the country by border guards at Tbilisi International Airport. This was confirmed by Zinovkina’s lawyer, Shota Tutberidze.
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"What happened today is a manifestation of inhumanity and another act of evil committed by the Georgian Dream regime. The elderly mother of political prisoner Anastasia Zinovkina, who flew in for a pre-arranged visit with her imprisoned daughter after months of waiting, was not allowed to cross the Georgian border," Tutberidze told journalists.
According to the lawyer, airport staff initially told Zinovkina's mother that the refusal of entry was linked to her presence at protests and a fine issued on March 3, the day of the Mothers' March. However, the official document cited "other circumstances stipulated by law" as the reason for denying entry.
"It is noteworthy that she was not served any decision regarding the fine. Moreover, she requested to be served the fine today, but she was refused at the border. Furthermore, the woman offered to pay the fine – either personally or through friends in Georgia – but she was told that she is in a certain database and would under no circumstances be allowed into Georgia," Tutberidze stated.
Anastasia Zinovkina, 31, a Russian citizen, was arrested on December 17, 2024, along with 24-year-old Artem Gribul. Prosecutors accuse them of possessing 16 grams of the narcotic α-PVP with the intent to sell. If convicted, they face 8 to 20 years, or even life imprisonment.
Zinovkina and Gribul deny the charges, claiming the police planted the drugs. They assert that their arrests are intended to punish them for their participation in anti-government protests in Tbilisi.
Before moving to Georgia, Anastasia Zinovkina had been actively involved in anti-government protests in Russia since 2012 and had been arrested multiple times there.
During one court hearing, Zinovkina testified about sexual harassment and threats from police officers. She stated that the arresting officer touched his genitals and told her that if she moved, he would "punish her with that part of his body."
Another Russian citizen and participant in anti-Putin protests, Anton Chechin, was also arrested during the period of pro-European protests in Tbilisi. He was detained on December 3, 2024, on charges of acquiring and possessing a large quantity of narcotic substances, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years or life imprisonment.
