On May 24, 2001, a large-scale protest began in Senaki demanding the unconditional and immediate release of Guram Absandze, Zurab Gwazava, Ioseb (Soso) Sanaia, and Gia Zarqua, according to Murman Zakaraia, a representative of the Coordinating Center for Political Prisoners and Political Exiles. Protesters argued that the April 20, 2000 resolution of the National Reconciliation Commission of Parliament, which aimed at reconciling Zviad Gamsakhurdia’s supporters and releasing those imprisoned for their participation in the early 1990s conflicts for Georgia’s territorial integrity, directly applied to these individuals, and therefore they should be freed.

By June, former officers of the National Guard and the Union of Veterans began a hunger strike in the yard of Akaki Eliava in Senaki. Eliava, a Gamsakhurdia loyalist officer, had been killed on July 9, 2000 in Zestaponi during a special forces raid alongside Gia Gvilava, while their fellow fighters Gia Zarqua, Zurab Gwazava, and Ioseb Sanaia were arrested. Nearly a year later, they remained in pre-trial detention without court hearings being scheduled. Hunger strikers demanded their release, insisting they were political prisoners. They also called for a reinvestigation of the incident and the rehabilitation of Eliava’s and Gvilava’s names. Lawyer Eka Beselia and independent expert Maia Nikolaishvili stated that the case contained many “white spots” and unresolved issues.

Authorities promised that the detainees would be freed by July 6, but later announced the release would be postponed for another week. In response, comrades resumed their hunger strike in Eliava’s yard. They declared it was crucial to be present at the July 9 commemoration of Eliava’s death and threatened to exhume the bodies of Eliava and Gvilava and lay them outside the local administration building if their demands were not met.

Eventually, the Supreme Court released Gia Zarqua from detention, noting that during the Zestaponi events he had not been active, was unarmed, and had no prior convictions. Zarqua was allowed to attend his trial while living at home.