Georgia jails opposition figures as ruling party denies arrests are politically motivated

Georgia has jailed 4 cardinal guidance figures wrong days arsenic portion of a monthslong crackdown connected dissent that followed a disputed predetermination past October successful nan South Caucasus country.

Nearly each leaders of Georgia's pro-Western guidance are now down bars, arsenic protests proceed against nan ruling Georgian Dream statement and its determination past twelvemonth to halt Georgia’s bid to subordinate nan European Union.

The demonstrators, who person gathered regular successful nan superior Tbilisi, besides opportunity that nan ballot connected 26 October that handed nan ruling Georgian Dream statement different word successful powerfulness was not free aliases fair.

On Tuesday, leader Giorgi Vashadze of nan Strategy Agmashenebeli statement was sentenced to 8 months successful situation for refusing to attest successful an charismatic probe that Georgian Dream’s critics telephone an enactment of governmental revenge.

The time before, 3 different guidance figures were handed comparable sentences aft refusing to cooperate pinch nan aforesaid parliamentary enquiry investigating alleged wrongdoings by nan authorities of former President Mikhail Saakashvili.

Badri Japaridze and Manuka Khazaradze were some jailed for 8 months, while Zurab Japaridze received 7 months.

The Georgian Dream caput wide Kakha Kaladze dismissed allegations that immoderate of nan arrests had been politically motivated, saying politicians aren’t exempt from nan law.

"I deliberation we each cognize very good why these group are detained. They collapsed nan law, they didn't look astatine nan commission. The position of a leader aliases immoderate different personification cannot beryllium an inducement to break nan law," he said.

Opposition politicians person declined to be nan committee hearings, citing their ongoing boycott of parliament pursuing past year's election.

Georgian Dream's critics opportunity nan ballot was rigged pinch Russia's thief to manus it different word successful power.

They besides opportunity nan probe is simply a ploy by nan ruling statement to harm nan opposition, peculiarly Saakashvili’s United National Movement party.

Speaking to The Associated Press earlier he was handcuffed connected Tuesday, Vashadze said nan committee hearings went "against nan Georgian constitution" because nary guidance lawmakers are represented and that nan probe’s purpose is to persecute nan opposition.

"They are acrophobic of america because we are fighting for our state and they spot that location is large support from Georgian society…That's why I'm nether apprehension now," he said.

Other salient authorities critics stay successful pre-trial detention for declining to look earlier nan committee investigating Saakashvili.

They see Nika Melia, a erstwhile president of Saakashvili's United National Movement party, and Nika Gvaramia, who was a curate successful Saakashvili's government. A erstwhile defence minister, Irakli Okruashvili, is besides successful custody.

Melia, Gvaramia, and Zurab Japaridze were among nan leaders of nan guidance grouping, Coalition for Change, that vanished 2nd successful nan October vote, according to charismatic results.

On Monday, Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze besides denied that their arrests were politically motivated.

Meanwhile, anti-government protests proceed regular successful cardinal Tbilisi. While numbers are acold little than past autumn, nan demonstrations are large capable to artifact postulation astir nan parliament building.

Many protesters person worn masks since nan authorities imposed harsh penalties for blocking streets.

Elene Khoshtaria, different salient guidance politician, connected Tuesday slammed Georgian Dream for utilizing "violence, repressions, governmental persecution" to snuff retired dissent and Georgia's "European future."

She praised protesters for their persistence and called connected Western countries to springiness stronger backing to Georgian Dream's critics.

"We are each successful solidarity pinch each our friends and governmental prisoners," she said, referring to those jailed aliases detained successful caller weeks. "As agelong arsenic Georgia fights, I deliberation our world partners should enactment successful a very decisive and bold way."