Fifteen arrested at opposition rally during a trial attended by Saakashvili
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Fifteen opposition activists, including opposition leader Gigi Ugulava, were arrested at a rally near Tbilisi City Court for disobeying police orders earlier today during a trial concerning former president Mikheil Saakashvili.
Saakashvili was allowed to attend the hearing in person, which concerns illegal dispersal of an opposition rally back in 2007, for the first time since his arrest in Tbilisi on October 1.
Before the hearing took place, Saakashvili said that he distrusts the Georgian court, noting that he ‘would have used the opportunity’ to address the public.
He also called on supporters to hold a rally at the court.
A number of opposition supporters gathered at the court earlier today.
Statement of MIA regarding the protest rally held near Tbilisi City Court. https://t.co/g6q5PSclfC
— MIA of Georgia (@MIAofGeorgia) November 29, 2021
Several of them allegedly threw bottles at police and attempted to enter the court’s yard.
Police allegedly used pepper spray against several demonstrators.
Saakashvili’s lawyers demanded live coverage of the hearing, which was fulfilled by a judge.
Saakashvili called off his hunger strike on November 19 after accepting transfer to Gori military hospital for treatment.
Demonstrators blocked the road at Tbilisi City Court. Photo: RFE/RL.
Following this, the Georgian Justice Ministry said that the former president could be brought to the court to attend hearings.
Saakashvili, who is now a citizen of Ukraine and holds an official post there, says that he returned after eight years in political exile ‘to remove the Georgian Dream government from power.’
He was convicted in absentia in Georgia in 2018 for abuse of power and was sentenced to six years in prison.
Saakashvili has also been charged with five other offenses, including illegal seizure of property, embezzlement, abuse of power, illegally crossing the border and illegal rally dispersal.
Former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili has already been taken to Tbilisi City Court to attend a trial hearing concerning the illegal dispersal of an opposition rally in central Tbilisi on November 7, 2007 in which Saakashvili is charged with the abuse of power, IPN says. Neither journalists, nor opposition activists are allowed into the court’s yard. The law enforcement are present at the scene to ensure safety.
Overall six criminal charges are filed against recently arrested Georgian ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili who has been convicted to six years of imprisonment in two cases while four other criminal cases are still being heard in Tbilisi City Court.
On November 7, 2007 a series of anti-government protests took place across Georgia and ended with protesters being dispersed by police who used tear gas and water cannons.
On November 7, 2007 a series of anti-government protests took place across Georgia and ended with protesters being dispersed by police who used tear gas and water cannons. A total of 508 people were taken to hospital when riot police dispersed thousands of protesters.
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan has expressed the hope that former president Mikheil Saakashvili’s supporters ‘will act responsibly’ during his trial, urging that the protest should be peaceful.
Head of the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party Nika Melia says protest rallies should be on-going until the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party is overthrown and former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili released.
Former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, who was brought to Tbilisi City Court earlier today to attend a trial hearing concerning him on a rally dispersal back in 2007, says that he ‘committed no crimes,’ and that ‘it is the shame’ of the country that the ‘creator of the modern Georgian state is imprisoned.’
Opposition leader Gigi Ugulava, who was arrested on November 29 near Tbilisi City Court while protesting the former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili’s trial, has been released earlier today and fined 3,000 GEL (about $962/€846).
Police have arrested three individuals for violence against police and resisting arrest during an opposition rally near Tbilisi City Court on November 29.
Georgia’s former president Mikheil Saakashvili is attending a trial hearing today in Tbilisi City Court which concerns the embezzlement of 8,837,461 GEL in state funds for personal purposes while in office.
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan has welcomed that former president Mikheil Saakashvili was taken to the court for the second time earlier today to attend a trial hearing in a case concerning him.
Georgia’s imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili on Monday demanded to be allowed an “opportunity to openly take part in political processes” through “open debates”, and urged the public to “stand up” for his support.