Thousands rally again in Georgia to protest the parliamentary election they say was rigged

Associated Press

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Thousands of opposition supporters rallied outside Georgia’s parliament for the second straight Monday to denounce the Oct. 26 election as illegitimate after the ruling party was declared the winner amid allegations of vote-rigging helped by Russia. The protesters demanded a new parliamentary election under international supervision and an investigation of the alleged ballot irregularities. Opposition leaders vowed to boycott sessions of parliament and hold regular protests until their demands are met. The opposition sees the ruling Georgian Dream Party as tilted toward Russia and bent on derailing Georgia’s aspirations to join the European Union. The protest proceeded under the watch of riot police, reflecting the simmering political tensions in the South Caucasus country of 3.7 million.