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.