In Georgia, report on raids to nightclubs provokes controversy

In Tbilisi, searches in nightclubs were carried out with the court's sanction and revealed a well-arranged infrastructure for drug trafficking, reported Giorgi Gakhariya, Georgian Minister of Internal Affairs. MPs from the "European Georgia" and "Georgian Dream" Parties supported the actions of the police to combat the drug trafficking.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that starting from May 12, the action "For Our Rights" was held in the Georgian capital after the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) had reported the detention of eight persons during raids to Tbilisi nightclubs. Participants of the protest action also spoke out against the detentions of the activists advocating the legalization of drugs.

Giorgi Gakhariya has reported that during the raids, the police apologized to visitors of nightclubs and suggested if they had any narcotic substances to hand them over to the police or leave them in a nightclub and then leave its territory. In the nightclubs, policemen discovered 34 places with various narcotic substances, noted Giorgi Gakhariya.

According to the Minister of Internal Affairs, the practice of police raids is applied in all cities with developed "nightclub life."

Meanwhile, no pressure has been put on participants of the action "For Our Rights", since "we are well aware that they are the future of our country." Besides, the Minister has also emphasized that most of the participants of the protest action are not involved in drug trafficking.

Salome Samadashvili, an MP from the opposition "United National Movement" Party, believes that the police raids to nightclubs were "a show arranged by the Minister for PR."