Georgian leaders honour victims of April 9 tragedy

Georgian prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze, alongside president Mikheil Kavelashvili and Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili, on Thursday visited the April 9 Memorial to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for Georgia’s independence.

Accompanied by members of the government and Parliament, the leaders laid wreaths and flowers at the memorial site in front of the Parliament building on Rustaveli Avenue.

On April 9, 1989, thousands of demonstrators gathered in front of Georgia’s parliament building in Tbilisi, demanding independence from the Soviet Union and protesting Moscow’s policies.

In the early hours of the morning, Soviet troops moved in to disperse the crowd using force, including batons, tear gas, and military vehicles. The operation resulted in the deaths of 21 civilians - most of them young women - and left hundreds injured or affected by toxic gas exposure.

The tragedy became a turning point in Georgia’s independence movement, strengthening public resolve against Soviet rule. Exactly two years later, on April 9, 1991, Georgia formally declared the restoration of its independence. Nowadays, April 9 is observed annually as a day of remembrance and national unity, honoring those who died in the struggle for freedom.