Opposition Activists Sent in Pretrial Detention After Spat with GD MP
A court in Kutaisi ordered the pretrial detention of three activists from the opposition UNM party and its affiliated group, Free Zone on Monday in connection to an incident involving a confrontation with a lawmaker from the Georgian Dream ruling coalition.
Activists from UNM affiliated group were holding a protest rally on October 2 outside the Parliament building in Kutaisi in support of Rustavi 2 TV, when they verbally and physically confronted GD lawmaker Davit Lortkipanidze. Three activists – Nika Narsia, Mirian Deisadze and Kakhaber Gabunia – were arrested several hours after the incident.
When UNM MP Giorgi Gviniashvili was punched by a Georgian Dream supporter during grape growers’ protest in Gurjaani on September 14, the perpetrator was charged without being detained.
UNM lawmakers say that differentiated treatment of these two cases – when a person punching UNM MP is released and those accused of physically assaulting GD MP are sent in pretrial detention – demonstrates selective application of justice.
Several activists from the Free Zone launched a hunger strike outside the Kutaisi City Hall on October 4, demanding release of the three detained men.
