Political crisis in Georgia: at least three opposition leaders arrested on the sidelines of another night of pro-European Union demonstrations

Hooded police beat the leader of an opposition party, and two other leaders were arrested near the demonstration.

The opposition is resisting in Georgia, but the government is increasing the pressure. Thousands of pro-European Union demonstrators gathered again in Tbilisi for a seventh night of protest against the government, despite the arrest of at least three opposition leaders on Wednesday December 4.

This Caucasian country has been in turmoil since the legislative elections of October 26, won by the ruling party, Georgian Dream, but denounced as rigged by the opposition. The government is also accused of hindering Georgia’s ambitions to join the EU and of wanting to get closer to Moscow.

The crowd seemed sparser compared to the massive gatherings of last week, even if the attendance remained significant for this country of around 4 million inhabitants. Nikoloz Bakouradzé, a 19-year-old student, thinks the movement has “already past its peak”. “Today, like yesterday, there are fewer people”estimates the young man, while judging that “the energy remains the same”.

The authorities increased their pressure on the movement by searching the offices of the opposition Droa party on Wednesday. Hooded police officers brutalized then took away Nika Gvaramia, the leader of another allied party, Akhali, according to images from a local channel. According to this channel, two other opposition leaders, Alexandre Elisachvili and Zourab Datounashvili, were arrested near the demonstration, during a fight with security agents.

The Interior Ministry also reported the arrest of seven people accused of “organized” violence during demonstrations. They face up to 9 years in prison. He confirmed that he had carried out searches in the offices of several political parties and claimed that a “large number of pyrotechnic devices” and Molotov cocktails had been seized. Some 293 people have been detained since the start of the movement, the Interior Ministry announced Tuesday evening, and 143 police officers have been injured.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has, for the moment, adopted a hard line, threatening the opposition and refusing any concessions. Georgia’s main opposition party, the United National Movement (UNM) of imprisoned former president Mikhail Saakashvili, has accused the authorities of “launched a campaign of terror and repression”.