The pro-Russian government of Georgia began harshly detaining opposition leaders. Thus, on December 4, the police detained in Tbilisi the founder of the Mtavari television company and the opposition party "Akhali", the leader of the "Coalition for Change" Niko Gvaramia.
Points of attention
- The Georgian authorities have initiated a harsh 'cleansing' of oppositionists following anti-government protests, leading to arrests and searches in opposition party offices.
- The crackdown on opposition figures has sparked outrage in Georgian society, shedding light on concerns about democracy and human rights in the country.
- The intensified repression against critics by the government post the disputed parliamentary elections has further strained relations with the opposition and raised questions about Georgia's path towards the European Union.
- Protests erupted in Georgia after the parliamentary elections, with the ruling 'Georgian Dream' claiming victory amidst opposition parties' refusal to recognize the results, leading to escalating tensions.
- Prime Minister Iraklii Kobakhidze's announcement of Tbilisi's postponement of negotiations on joining the EU until 2028 has further fueled dissent and discontent among the opposition and civil society activists.
Detentions of oppositionists began in Georgia
Opponents of the Georgian authorities report searches in the offices of opposition parties. In particular, law enforcement officers entered the offices of "Unity-National Movement" and "Coalition for Change".
The founder of the Mtavari TV company and the opposition party Ahali, the leader of the Coalition for Change, Nick Gvaramii, was detained by the police near the office of his allies — the parties "Bitter More Freedom" and "Droa" — after representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs conducted a search there.
A member of the "Coalition for Change", activist Gel Khasai, was also detained.
Earlier, the police went to the house of the administrator of the Facebook platform "Daitove" Ilya Glonti.
"Daitove" is a platform on which participants and organizers of protest actions share various information about rallies.
Earlier, Prime Minister of Georgia Iraklii Kobakhidze said that civil society organizations are buying pyrotechnics and other equipment for protest actions. According to him, oppositionists and "even the heads of rich NGOs, who are even hiding in their offices, will not be able to escape the responsibility established by law."
Protests began in Georgia after the parliamentary elections
Elections to the Parliament of Georgia were held on October 26. Officially, they were won by the ruling "Georgian Dream", which won almost 54% of the votes.
Another four opposition parties passed the 5% threshold. All of them refused to recognize the election results and to enter the parliament. The president of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, does not recognize the legitimacy of the parliament either.
On November 28, Georgian Prime Minister Iraklii Kobakhidze, who is a de facto protégé of the Kremlin, announced Tbilisi's refusal to negotiate on joining the EU "until the end of 2028."
The pro-Russian politician said this after the approval of the European Parliament's resolution calling not to recognize the results of the last elections in Georgia.
On November 28, a large protest gathered under the walls of the parliament in Tbilisi, clashes with the police began.
As a result, the protesters were violently dispersed with the use of water cannons and tear gas. During the crackdown, security forces beat journalists and their equipment, among others.
