TBILISI, October 10 – Former Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaia, one of the most controversial figures from ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili’s government, spoke defiantly to reporters after being questioned Friday at the Criminal Police Department in Tbilisi. Akhalaia, who was summoned for questioning on Thursday in connection with an unspecified criminal investigation, dismissed the process as a … Read more
TBILISI, October 10 – Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili criticizes the ongoing arrests linked to the October 4 unrest outside the presidential residence, calling the situation a sign that “everyone” is now at risk of imprisonment regardless of background or profession. In a lengthy post published Friday on his official Facebook page, Saakashvili reacted to … Read more
TBILISI, October 9 – Georgia’s security service on Thursday released new findings, with details about another “safe house” in the case involving two Ukrainian nationals accused of smuggling explosives into the country. The State Security Service (SUS) said Wednesday it had located a second apartment in Tbilisi’s Gldani district, allegedly rented by one of the … Read more
TBILISI, October 9 – Georgia’s ruling party says the idea of revolution is over, and it no longer expects large-scale protests after the failed October 4 rally in Tbilisi that ended with clashes outside the presidential residence. Government officials and analysts close to the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party now argue that the political momentum … Read more
TBILISI, October 8 – Georgia’s Interior Ministry announced on Wednesday that 12 additional people have been arrested in connection with the October 4 unrest in Tbilisi, bringing the total number of detainees to 35. Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze said at a briefing that the new arrests followed “intensive investigative and search operations.” The detainees … Read more
TBILISI, October 8 – The Tbilisi City Court on Wednesday held a hearing for four people detained during the unrest that followed the October 4 rally in the Georgian capital. The defendants, Tornike Mchedlishvili, Abo Naveriani, Eva Shashviashvili, and Davit Sturua, appeared before Judge Lela Maridashvili, who will decide whether to keep them in pre-trial … Read more
TBILISI, October 8 – The violent unrest that broke out in Tbilisi on October 4 dealt a heavy blow to the reputation of Georgia’s protest movement, according to EU policy analyst Kakha Gogolashvili, but he believes the ruling Georgian Dream party will struggle to brand all forms of opposition as violent or extremist. Speaking on … Read more
TBILISI, October 8 – Georgia’s Interior Ministry announced Wednesday that four more people have been arrested in connection with the violent unrest that erupted in Tbilisi on October 4, bringing the total number of detainees to 22. Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze told reporters that the arrests were made under court orders as part of … Read more
TBILISI, October 7 – Tbilisi’s City Court has ordered pre-trial detention for five opposition figures accused of orchestrating violence during the October 4 protest in the Georgian capital, which authorities describe as an attempted “coup.” Those detained include opera singer and activist Paata Burchuladze, former chief prosecutor Murtaz Zodelava, opposition politicians Irakli Nadiradze, Paata Manjgaladze, … Read more
TBILISI, October 7 – Famed Georgian opera singer turned activist Paata Burchuladze, one of the main figures detained over the failed October 4 “peaceful revolution,” told a Tbilisi court Tuesday that he was trying to prevent violence, not incite it. Burchuladze, founder of the “Rustaveli Avenue” movement, said that during the unrest near the presidential … Read more