Opposition Parties Condemn Arrest of Activists

A group of opposition parties, mainly those having no representation in the parliament, gathered at the Public Defender’s Office and signed a brief statement condemning the arrest of activists from Nino Burjanadze’s party. 

“This action by the authorities is a clear provocation; an attempt to terrorize the society and an attempt to seed suspicion about legality of the planned April 9 protest rally. We warn the authorities to stop provocative actions and to immediately release young people and all the political prisoners,” the statement read out by Nino Burjanadze at the meeting says.

“This is very alarming fact when so many activists of one political group are arrested simultaneously; of course it looks like that machinery of political repression has already been put into operation,” Irakli Alasania, the leader of opposition Alliance for Georgia, said. He also added: “We will wait for the explanation of the law enforcement agencies and we will react appropriately afterwards.”

At least seven activists from the Burjanadze’s party Democratic Movement-United Georgia were arrested; some reports, including the one by the Public Defender’s Office, say that nine activists were arrested.

The Interior Ministry plans to make an official statement on the matter at a briefing planned for 8pm local time on Monday.

Meanwhile, it also emerged on March 23, that at least one activist from the Movement for Salvation of Georgia were arrested and charged with plotting a coup, a lawyer of detainee said. It is not yet clear whether the arrest is related with the case involving the Burjanadze’s party activists. The Movement for Salvation of Georgia was set up late last year and has not been an active player in the Georgian politics.

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