Activists in Georgia Report Arrest of Protest Participant

The co-founder of the Federalists party and an active participant in the protests Levan Brodzeli was taken away from his home by security forces, his arrest was not officially announced. In addition, police officers came to the Unity movement office in Tbilisi in the evening.

As "Kavkazsky Uzel" wrote, on September 10, the Georgian police reported the detention of three participants in the protests of September 8-9. One of them, Megi Diasamadze, was detained for damaging an election banner.

Information about the probable arrest of the activist was disseminated by Tamar Chergoleishvili, the leader of the Federalists party, which is part of the coalition of opposition political forces in Georgia.

"Levan Brodzeli was taken from his home in six cars," she wrote on social networks. Brodzeli's associates do not know where he was taken and on what grounds the activist was detained.

Chergoleishvili noted that during the protest at Kakha Kaladze's election headquarters in Tbilisi, Brodzeli filmed a video with the headquarters staff. In the recording, these people, some of whom are wearing T-shirts with the Georgian Dream symbols, make threatening and offensive gestures at the protesters.

Also, on the evening of September 10, it became known that criminal police officers came to the office of the Ertoba ("Unity") movement. An activist of the movement who was in the office reported that "they entered by force" and prohibited people in the room from using mobile phones.

The security forces were interested in which of the activists wore masks during the protests, while stating that they had already identified the person of interest to them. They demanded that they sign a protocol on violation of the law and threatened to take the activists to the police, but when citizens who learned about the visit came to the office, the law enforcement officers left the building.

"We know, but we want to hear from your lips. If you don't tell us, we'll take everyone to the department. If you do, we'll take only one." After our friends arrived and turned on live broadcasts, we left the office premises,” the movement’s representative Nikoloz Tkemaladze reported the police officers’ words on air at Pirveli TV.

According to the stricter provisions of the Administrative Code, wearing masks during meetings and demonstrations has become an offense, providing for up to seven days of arrest or a fine, Tbilisi_Life notes.

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