Georgian opposition leader arrested amid mass anti-government protests
- 2 December, 10:08
Police in Georgia arrested prominent opposition leader Zurab Japaridze early Monday as mass anti-government protests continue the fourth day in the South Caucasus republic.
Zurab Japaridze, one of the leaders of the opposition Coalition for Change was arrested by police while leaving the demonstration, the alliance wrote on its X social media platform. "Japaridze was fleeing together with other protesters as he was grabbed, indicating this was a conscious, targeted move by the regime," the statement reads. The alliance revealed that Japaridze was detained on Tamarashvili Avenue, a residential district away from the protests. They also shared a video footage showing Zurab Japaridze being placed in a vehicle by a masked police.
The nationwide anti-government protests were sparked by the ruling party’s decision on Thursday to suspend negotiations over the country’s EU accession. Since then, some 224 people have been arrested in the pro-EU protests that have been marked by clashes between riot police and demonstrators. Earlier Monday, Georgian Interior Ministry stated that 21 police officers were injured during a crackdown on the protests.
The mass protests are supported by the country’s President Salome Zurabishvili who has refused to step down after her term expires in December, stating that the parliament is illegitimate and cannot appoint her successor.
Zurabishvili voiced support for protesters, posting on her X account on Monday: "Another powerful night of Georgians standing firm to defend their constitution and their European choice. The determination in the streets shows no signs of stopping!"
The tension between Georgia and its Western partners have escalated recently due to the country’s democratic “backsliding”. The State Department on Saturday suspended its strategic partnership with Georgia in response to the country’s decision to halt negotiations towards accession to the European Union.
Georgia was granted a candidate status by the EU last year, however its application was suspended after the ruling party in May voted in favour of a Russian-style law on “foreign agents” and introduced a crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights.
