Georgia police arrested several anti-government protesters on Feb. 2, including two prominent opposition leaders, amid demonstrations demanding new parliamentary elections. Nika Melia, former chairman of the opposition United National Movement, and Gigi Ugulava, former mayor of capital Tbilisi, were arrested as thousands of protesters attempted to block a highway entrance into the capital.

In a post on X (Twitter), Kaja Kallas, vice president of the European Commission and the EU foreign policy chief, condemned the arrests as "brutal" and "unacceptable," emphasizing that "Georgia falls short of any expectation from a candidate country."

The official public rights defender of Georgia, Levan Ioseliani, said that there have been instances of excessive use of force and mistreatment of protesters and journalists by the police. Last week, Amnesty International confirmed allegations of such violence following the extension of pre-trial detention for a protester who was denied legal counsel for hours while being questioned. The medical examinations of Saba Skhvitaridze, accused of attacking police officers during the protests, found that he had injuries consistent with his claimed torture by the police.

Georgia has faced ongoing anti-government demonstrations since the immediate aftermath of October's controversial parliamentary elections, and the subsequent decision of newly-elected Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze to suspend membership negotiations with the EU until 2028.

The pro-EU president of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, has consistently refused demands that she step down and turn power over to a new president elected by a special body appointed by the ruling bloc in parliament, which she rejects as illegitimate. Tensions escalated at the end of December, with the inauguration of right-wing populist Mikheil Kavelashvili, leaving the country with two rival presidencies.

From JURIST, Feb. 3. Used with permission.