34 years have passed since the tragedy of April 9, 1989.
The Soviet army used tanks and poison gas to raid a peaceful demonstration of several thousand people demanding the independence of Georgia in Tbilisi.
During the night of April 9, 21 people were killed in front of the parliament building on Rustaveli avenue. Hundreds were wounded, poisoned and injured.
Two years later, on April 9, 1991, the extraordinary session of the Supreme Council adopted the Act on the Restoration of Georgia’s Independence.
The independence lost in 1921 due to Sovietization of the country was restored on this very day.
Photojournalists Guram Tsibakashvili and Giorgi (Gogi) Tsagareli depicted an important portion of the April events.
Tsibakashvili recalls how the historical archive was created and says that Tsagareli’s vision was outstanding.
Giorgi (Gogi) Tsagareli died in April 2020.