TBILISI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st July, 2023) Georgian police have detained 23 activists who were protesting the arrival of a cruise ship with Russian tourists on board to the Georgian port of Batumi, a source in the country's ministry of interior told Sputnik on Monday.
"Twenty-three people were detained for administrative offenses during protest action in Batumi," the source said.
Last week, Georgian opposition staged a protest in Batumi after the Astoria Grande cruise ship with Russian tourists on board arrived in Batumi's port. The opposition claimed that the ship's entry was in violation of international sanctions.� The Georgian authorities said that the ship did not meet any criteria for sanctions as it is registered in Panama.
On Monday morning, the same ship returned in Batumi on another cruise. On Sunday night, Georgian opposition rallied near Batumi's port for one more protest action but faced increased security measures by police, who sealed off�access to the ship with�metal barriers.
A representative of a Russian agency that sells cruises told Sputnik that the Astoria Grande ship would not be making a stop at Batumi anymore.
