Georgian dream reports that at least six activists of the opposition coalition Georgian Dream have been arrested over the past two days in various parts of the country with most of them charged with administrative offenses.
Sozar Subari , Georgian Dream member, alleged on September 23 that series of arrests were part of the authorities’ attempt to keep some of the Georgian Dream activists away from the election process, especially on the election day on October 1.
According to the interior ministry, Georgian Dream’s representative in District Election Commission DEC for Mestia municipality, Kapiton (Kakha) Zhorzholiani, was arrested on September 23 and charged with petty hooliganism for allegedly verbally insulting a member of the Mestia DEC; he was sentenced to 40 days in jail.
His arrest triggered a protest and dozens of people, including his relatives, surrounded a police pick-up outside the local police station in Mestia, not allowing it to take Zhorzholiani to Zugdidi, which is the administrative center of the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region.
The Interior Ministry said that a criminal investigation was launched into the case of resisting the police.
The source also informs that on September 23 police arrested in the Kaspi municipality of Shida Kartli region Georgian Dream activist and a former police employee Mamuka Jananashvili.
Three other activists of the Georgian Dream – Zviad Sabanadze, Giorgi Jankanidze and Petre Tavliashvili – were arrested in Shindisi, village in Gori municipality of Shida Kartli region
