Opposition is Starting an Anti-Violence Campaign

Opposition is Starting an Anti-Violence Campaign

Tbilisi.01.07.05. MediaNews. A protest manifestation involving a group of wrestlers took place on the night of 30 June and was raided by the special forces. The wresters were protesting the release of the two sportsmen – Davitashvili and Revazishvili – who were detained a day earlier and who each received a three-month preliminary detention.

Since the incident the New Rights, the Conservative Party and the Republican Party are demanding the resignation of the Interior Minister, Mr. Vano Merabishvili.

As David Gamkrelidze, the leader of the Rights Party, said at a special briefing held at the Parliament, the Government started using blatant violence against its citizenry.

“The Governmnet provoked the incident that happened last night on Rustaveli Avenue. I cannot act as anyone’s advocate but I can say one thing that yesterday’s massive arrest of the wrestlers is hardly ever practiced in any country. If the society does not timely denounce the massive violence then the Government will become even more agressive. I was hoping deep in my heart that that Mikheil Saakashvili would have some democratic principles, but we got a senseless and absolutely unsafe violence towards the people instead. Now we are demanding that Vano Merabishvili, Adeishvili and Okruashvili be held responsible for what had happened,” said David Gamkrelidze.

“What had happened yesterday is a crime against humanity; we have a moral majoritarian MP leader in Giga Bokeria. When he worked at the Liberty Institute, he used to be sent for vodka by his superiors and now he is the main ideologist of the Government. We call for the public to gather today at 6:00 pm.  Let’s get together and express our protest against violence,” said Levan Berdzenishvili.

“After having a meeting with the wrestler, Vano Merabishvili came to the media and called them “mkhedrionists” (armed formation in 1990s) but no mkhedrionist ever acted in the way that these representatives of forces behaved yesterday,” added Koba Davitashvili.