Six Ukrainian, one Georgian citizens detained in Tbilisi, weapons and ammunition seized

One Georgian and six Ukrainian citizens were detained in Tbilisi yesterday.

Their weapons have been seized and the Georgian Interior Ministry is investigating possible links between the detainees and the current, post-election political situation in Georgia.

The Georgian Interior Ministry has stated that the individuals have been detained in the Guru and Alliance Hotels in Tbilisi.

The ministry says that the individuals came to Georgia on 27 November. They have been charged with illegal purchase and possession of weapons and ammunition.

The Interior Ministry is investigating whether the individuals are linked with the current political process in Georgia [referring t yesterday’s opposition rally in central Tbilisi and post-election situation in the country]” the Ministry of Internal Affairs stated.

Advisor to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko Yuriy Biryukov stated today  that a Ukrainian MP of Samopomich political party Semen Semenchenko was with the detainees, “but when he felt the threat, he abandoned them and ran.”

He [Semenchenko] dragged us into a diplomatic scandal,” Biryokov said.

Semenchenko confirmed his presence in Tbilisi, but said that “various rumors are being spread regarding the detention.”

He dismissed the speculations that the detainees came to Tbilisi to attend the opposition rally.

The individuals who have been detained were not present at the rally at all,” Semenchnko said.

He stated that the was waiting for the outcomes of legal procedures.

The Georgian Dream ruling party MP Eka Beselia says that it is a “suspicious environment” when the people, “who are related to military units and activities in Ukraine” came to Georgia in parallel of the opposition rally.

 She said that everyone has the right of expression, but the Georgian government will not allow anyone to stir confrontations.