TBILISI, DFWatch – Many people have been detained in Georgia during the last few days. The majority of the arrested are members and activists of the Georgian Dream.

About 20 members and supporters of the opposition coalition have been detained the last three days, one of its spokespersons said at a briefing today. The coalition considers the arrests politically motivated and claims officials from the ruling party are personally involved in it.

September 23 Kakha Zhorzholiani, political activist for Georgian Dream, was arrested. His wife Nina Khatiskatsi told DF Watch the details. September 20 Zhorzholiani had an argument with a Central Election Commission representative in the mountainous Georgian region Mestia.

There was a misunderstanding between them while disputing the election issue.

“At that meeting he (Kakha Zhorzholiani) pointed out that one of the election commission’s recent decisions on creating a special military precinct not allowed by law, had been politically motivated.”

There was no violence, but only argument, Nina Khatiskatsi explains, adding that there are witnesses to this incident.

Three days later, Zhorzholiani was arrested for hooliganism and sentenced to 40 days in prison.

“The government has been systematically using the police and courts to intimidate political activists and the electorate throughout this election campaign,” Nina Khatiskatsi explains. She adds: “In the last 5 days alone, 21 opposition activists have been imprisoned on minor charges that would be regulated by fines under normal circumstances.”

September 23, the interior ministry released a statement about the arrest of ten persons, including Kakha Zhorzholiani. The majority were activists and members of Georgian Dream.

They were accused of resisting police and violation of public order. Some of them were sentenced to 30 days in jail, while one of them was fined with 100 lari.

Maia Panjikidze, spokesperson for the coalition, today remarked that some of the activists were detained because they tried to stop certain people while they were tearing down Georgian Dream election posters.

Otar Balanchivadze, head of Georgian Dream’s youth branch in one of Tbilisi’s districts, was detained September 22. The reason was an argument with the police.

Civic activists who participated in the recent protests against prison torture have also been arrested and sentenced to ten days in prison. https://dfwatch.net/anti-abuse-activists-tell-of-being-beaten-52620

There are claims that one of them was beaten at the police station. The public defender published a statement describing the physical injuries of this person.