Georgian police briefly detain opposition leader Zurab Japaridze

Georgian police have briefly detained Zurab Japaridze, one of the leaders of the opposition group the Coalition for Change and founder of the Girchi — More Freedom party, during protests in Tbilisi. 

Despite submitting an application to have his seat as an MP annulled, until this is approved by parliament, Japaridze remains a sitting MP in parliament and therefore enjoys immunity from arrest and prosecution. 

He was detained on Monday morning, after protesters moved to Chavchavadze Avenue following dispersals on Rustaveli Avenue. Nika Gvaramia, a fellow member of the coalition, posted on Facebook earlier in the morning that they were unable to locate where Japaridze was being held.

He was released on Monday afternoon.

The fourth day of protests saw police deploying water cannons, tear gas, and pepper spray for several hours, while demonstrators launched fireworks against them. During the night, riot police moved in to push the protesters from the vicinity of the parliament along on central Rustaveli Avenue. They began making mass arrests after protesters began erecting barricades to stop the police on Chavchavadze Avenue, near Vake Park.

According to local media and eyewitnesses, police officers were particularly brutal, beating demonstrators not only during their arrests, but also hunting them down in the entrances of buildings and other sheltered areas.

It is unclear on what charges Japaridze is being held.

Despite the Coalition for Change successfully demanding that their parliamentary lists be annulled, alongside two other major opposition groups that have secured seats in parliament, Japaridze, alongside other members of the opposition, were recognised as MPs during parliament’s inaugural session on 25 November.

The arrest or detention of an MP can only be carried out with the consent of parliament, according to Georgian legislation, with exceptions being made in case an MP commits a criminal act.

Coalition for Change, Unity — National Movement, and Strong Georgia have all requested that their electoral lists be annulled by the Central Election Commission. They, alongside Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party, have vowed not to recognise the results of the election, insisting the vote was rigged. 

Parliament is yet to approve individual statements of resignation from MPs.

The official results of the elections gave the ruling Georgian Dream party a large majority, with 54% of the vote. However, local media and observer groups have documented widespread electoral fraud and violations of voter secrecy by the ruling party.

Georgian riot police in Tbilisi have for several days cracked down on the pro-EU demonstrations, which were sparked by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s announcement that Georgia was halting its EU membership bid ‘until 2028’.