The leader of the Lelo - Strong Georgia coalition has been taken into custody.

The court remanded politician Aleko Elisashvili, accused of attempting to commit a terrorist act, into pretrial detention.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on November 29, security forces detained Aleko Elisashvili, one of the leaders of the "Lelo - Strong Georgia" coalition, in connection with the arson attack on the Tbilisi City Court office. Elisashvili was severely beaten, and his defense claimed that the politician committed the arson in protest against the authorities.

Aleko Elisashvili, one of the leaders of "Lelo - Strong Georgia," who was detained on suspicion of attempting to commit a terrorist act, was sentenced to prison as a pretrial detention. The decision was made by Tbilisi City Court Judge Lela Maridashvili, according to Sova.

The trial discussed the choice of a preventive measure for the detained politician. The Georgian Prosecutor's Office requested a prison sentence for the opposition figure, while the defense requested his release on bail of 5,000 lari (approximately $1,852). The judge granted the Georgian Prosecutor's Office's motion.

Iago Khvichia, leader of the opposition party Girchi, believes that Elisashvili's case is not about politics, but rather about its destruction. Khvichia offered three theories that could have prompted his colleague to set the courthouse on fire, one of which was alcohol. "First, Mr. Aleko Elisashvili got drunk, remembered the court's sins against the Georgian people, and, in a fit of rage typical of a Georgian, attempted to set the courthouse on fire. What the chancery building had to do with it, I don't know. As can be seen from the lawyer's statements, it seems he still has a severe hangover," Sputnik-Georgia quotes Khvichia as saying. According to the Girchi leader, the second theory involves direct blackmail against Elisashvili for political gain. According to Khvichia, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has already accused the European Union of orchestrating the terrorist attack on the court. The third theory is directly linked to the gaping void in the ranks of the "radical opposition," which the politician may have decided to fill. A Girchi representative believes his opposition colleagues often compete with each other to see who can demonstrate greater radicalism.

Elisashvili previously denied guilt and considered his actions a form of protest. He maintains that his actions do not constitute a crime.

In July, Elisashvili was found guilty of insulting Georgian Dream MP Lasha Talakhadze. The court fined him.