In Dighomi District Police Arrested Six Members of the National Council

On April 8, patrol police arrested a leader of the People’s Party Aleksandre Shalamberidze and several activists during the quarrel in Dighomi district. Their location was not known for some time.

On the road in Dighomi the members of the National Council and policemen had quarrel after opposition activists blocked the road. The reason was sealed up printing house Tbiliselebi where the members of the National Council were not allowed into. However, the oppositionists claim according to their information the printing house was not initially sealed up as their 98 000 fliers were printed in it. After the oppositionist members were not allowed into the printing house, they decided to enter the building without permission and then blocked the road.

The leader of the People’s Party Koba Davitashvili reported to the journalists that he conversed with the head of the Tbilisi Patrol Department and asked why the building was sealed up by the police. Giorgi Gegechkori replied that nobody knew who sealed up the building. Gegechkori arrived at the place.

“Initially, it was reported that the printing house was not sealed up any longer and we went there to get our materials. However, later certain people called police and sealed up the building. The patrol police was guarding the printing house sealed up by unidentified people; it is unfair,” said Davitashvili.

Leader of the Conservative Party Zviad Dzidziguri said the National Council is not going to retreat. He said they will definitely take their materials from the printing house and will also win the elections; they will send the current government away.

According to Dzidziguri, their requirements are legal and the government shall not interfere in their pre-election activities.

Zurab Noghaideli said the government is ready for every provocation and those provocations shall be responded by the National Council.

The details of the incident in Dighomi were clarified by the National Council at the briefing later. They said the police arrested six members of the Council; more precisely, member of the People’s Party Aleksandre Shalmberidze, members of the Conservative Party – Tristan Ekurishvili, Irakli Imnadze and Giorgi Sikharulidze, and members of the Movement for the Just Georgia – Gia Kobidze and Nika Javakhadze.

Koba Davitashvili reported to the journalists that the detainees were tested on drug-addiction and lawyers are not allowed to meet them.

Unless the detainees were released on the same day, next day, on April 9, the National Council intended to block Rustaveli Avenue together with their supporters.

Besides that, they intended to start for the Rustaveli Avenue from the basketball hall in Vere Park. There they planned the congress of the National Council where they would announce the results of the primer as well as candidates of the Tbilisi city hall, chairpersons and members of the municipality boards.

Short after the briefing Aleksandre Shalamberidze was released. He reported to the journalists that he received oral warning because of breaching public order. The trial on other detainees prolonged.

“After they clarified that I as former MP, they gave only oral warning and set me free. The trial on the boys, who were detained together with me, is still on. I request to give only oral warning to them too,” said Shalamberidze.

He said they were not taken for the drug test.

Interpresnews