Georgian opposition leader arrested after fourth night of protests
Georgian police arrested a prominent opposition leader after using water cannon and tear gas to disperse anti-government protesters outside Parliament.
TBILISI, Georgia — Police in Georgia arrested a prominent opposition leader early Monday after using water cannon and tear gas to scatter anti-government protesters who rallied outside Parliament for the fourth straight night.
The protests were set off by the government’s announcement last week that it was suspending talks on joining the European Union. Critics saw that as confirmation of a Russian-influenced shift away from pro-Western policies, something the ruling party denies.
The Coalition for Change, the country’s largest opposition party, said in a post on X that Zurab Japaridze, one of its leaders, had been arrested by police while leaving the demonstration.
Protesters shooting fireworks toward police in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Monday.Girogi Arjevanidze / AFP - Getty ImagesFootage showed Japaridze being placed in an unmarked vehicle by masked police. It was not clear whether he would be charged with any offense.
The United States and the E.U. have voiced alarm at what they see as democratic backsliding by Georgia, a country of 3.7 million people that lies at the intersection of Europe and Asia and was once part of the Soviet Union.
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