Opposition Leader Nika Melia Detained
Nika Melia, one of the leaders of the opposition Coalition for Change, was arrested on 29 May, his lawyer confirmed. This comes one day before his scheduled court hearing regarding charges related to refusing to testify before Georgian Dream’s parliamentary commission. Tbilisi City Court had previously set bail in the case to be paid by May 30.
Melia’s lawyer, Giorgi Kondakhashvili, told TV Pirveli that the arrest is “absolutely incomprehensible” as the police lacked grounds for detention. He said that the deadline for paying bail does not expire until midnight on May 29 and that the Court had not issued a decision to change Melia’s preventive measures. According to Kondakhashvili, police stopped Melia’s vehicle and “arrested him by force.” He is reportedly being held at the Dighomi pre-trial detention facility.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs later confirmed to Civil.ge that Melia was detained under Article 173 of the Administrative Offenses Code, which pertains to verbal abuse or other insulting actions against police officers.
The arrest comes as Melia faces separate criminal charges under Article 349 of Georgia’s Criminal Code for failing to appear before the GD’s parliamentary commission, which is investigating alleged crimes committed under the previous UNM government. The charge carries penalties of bail or imprisonment for up to one year. On April 29, the Tbilisi City Court set bail at 50,000 GEL for Melia.
American Congressman Joe Wilson reacted to Melia’s arrest, writing, “The anti-American Georgian Dream regime has just arrested key opposition leader Nika Melia on the same false pretense as the previous attack on opposition. It is clear that the total banning of opposition is underway so as to sell the country to China. Sanctions are the solution!”
Several opposition politicians face similar charges under Article 349, including Coalition for Change leaders Nika Gvaramia and Zurab Girchi Japaridze. Japaridze was arrested on May 22 following the Tbilisi city court hearing, after refusing to pay his Court-imposed bail.
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