Detained protester starts hunger strike, lawyer says

Vepkhia Kasradze, a member of the opposition Lelo party who was detained during a protest in Tbilisi, has gone on a hunger strike, his lawyer Kakha Kozhoridze said.  Kasradze has been accused, along with several others, of organising and leading group violence.

Kozhoridze reported that Kasradze told him he sees himself as a captive, not a prisoner. He also added that the prosecution has been unable to prove which specific acts of violence Kasradze allegedly organised.

According to Kozhoridze, the detainee is psychologically resilient but is in poor health, as his family says he has cancer.

Kasradze and Vasil Kadzelashvili, another Lelo member, were arrested on 4 December, the same day that the police conducted searches at opposition party offices and the homes of activists.

The arrest was based on an alleged secret recording released by pro-government channels, which claimed to demonstrate that Kadzelashvili and Kasradze were discussing violent plans.