TBILISI, October 6 – Georgia’s government has arrested all key organizers behind the October 4 protest in Tbilisi, which authorities describe as an “attempted coup” that turned violent near the presidential palace.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze vowed that “no one will go unpunished,” warning that anyone who took part in violence against the state or law enforcement will face “very strict” legal consequences.
The Interior Ministry confirmed that five protest organizers were detained on Saturday. Those charged include public movement Rustaveli Avenue leaders Paata Burchuladze and Murtaz Zodelava, opposition politician Irakli Nadiradze from the United National Movement, Strategy Aghmashenebeli leader Paata Manjgaladze, and retired Colonel Lasha Beridze. Prosecutors have filed charges of inciting violent overthrow of the constitutional order, organizing and leading group violence, and causing property damage, offenses that carry up to nine years in prison under Georgian law.
Interior Minister Gela Geladze said the number of detainees could increase as “operational and investigative actions are ongoing.” He praised police for acting “with the highest standards,” while Kobakhidze personally thanked officers and emergency responders. According to the Health Ministry, six protesters and 21 police officers were hospitalized, including one officer with a skull fracture who remains in stable condition.
Authorities claim the rally’s organizers intended to storm the presidential administration on Atoneli Street, describing the operation as premeditated. Kobakhidze called the demonstration “a coup attempt that was successfully neutralized.” Parliament’s First Vice Speaker Gia Volski labeled the events “a dark and treacherous” effort to provoke bloodshed similar to Ukraine’s 2014 Maidan uprising.
Opposition figures and relatives of detained leaders deny the charges, calling the confrontation chaotic and blaming alleged infiltration or “betrayal” from within. Former president Mikheil Saakashvili, writing from incarceration, called on the opposition to “organize, not whine,” saying the fight for change was far from over.
Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry has warned that any new rallies in the coming days will be treated as a continuation of the October 4 unrest. Investigations remain active, and officials have pledged to release updates as additional suspects are identified.
