Chichinadze announced his departure from the theater in solidarity with his colleagues.

Convicted actor Andro Chichinadze announced his resignation from the Tbilisi theater troupe, following his colleagues who were outraged by the removal of a banner with his portrait.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on February 21, it was reported that five actors (Eka Demetradze, Giviko Baratashvili, Kakha Kintsurashvili, Nanka Kalatozishvili, and Taso Chanturia) of the Vaso Abashidze Tbilisi Music and Drama Theater resigned from the troupe after a banner in support of their colleague Andro Chichinadze was removed from the building's facade. Later, Manu Tavadze, Dato Beshitaishvili, and Luka Japaridze left the troupe, bringing the number of leading actors to eight.

The statement of convicted Andro Chichinadze was made public by his lawyer, Tornike Migineishvili, Interpressnews reports. "I am also leaving the Vaso Abashidze Theater. With this symbolic text, I want to express solidarity and support for those people who themselves exemplify solidarity and friendship," Chichinadze stated.

Addressing the protesters' persecutors, the actor reproached them for fighting "a very wrong and complex area."

Fighting people with the right values ​​is a losing proposition.

"Artists, by their civic position, have been and are the most dangerous for you and for anyone in power. This will always be the case. Before you and after you, there will be only one truth, and there will always be a way to tell the truth. Therefore, my advice is that fighting people with the right values ​​is a losing proposition," Andro Chichinadze stated.

As a reminder, the theater troupe toured various cities across Georgia for several months. with a manifesto performance demanding the release of Chichinadze and other protesters. Following this, in April 2025, the Ministry of Culture dismissed the theater's artistic director. Since then, according to JAMnews, the theater's activities have been effectively suspended.

On September 2, 2025, the court sentenced 11 people, including Andro Chichinadze, to two years in prison, finding them participants in the riots. Chichinadze, detained at the site of a protest in December 2024, was charged with participating in group violence.

On January 8, 2025, the theater, in solidarity with Chichinadze cancelled the performances in which he was performing and demanded his release. The theater administration emphasized that it was ready to refund tickets purchased by audiences, as the theater refuses to stage performances without Chichinadze. That day, a banner with the actor's portrait was hung on the theater's façade.

In April 2025, the ECHR accepted Andro Chichinadze's complaint and began examining it. The actor's lawyers challenged the legality of Chichinadze's arrest. The defense has repeatedly called his detention, like that of other defendants in this case, groundless.

On November 28, 2024, the European Parliament refused to recognize the results of the parliamentary elections in Georgia and called for sanctions against the leaders of the Georgian Dream party. On the same day, the Prime Minister announced that Georgia would withdraw from EU accession negotiations by the end of 2028. Following this statement, protests erupted across the country.

Key points on the persecution of protesters in Georgia

Security forces violently dispersed the protests, using tear gas and water cannons, and detained protesters. Over the course of the protests, more than 1,000 people were subjected to administrative prosecution. On February 23, 2026, the 453rd day of protests, activists in Tbilisi again demanded new parliamentary elections and the release of political prisoners.