Tens of thousands of demonstrators responded to opposition calls to protect democracy during Saturday’s polls, which represented the populist Georgian Dream party’s first electoral challenge since last year’s disputed parliamentary vote.
Ruling party candidates achieved landslide victories in mayoral races across all cities according to official results.
Tens of thousands waving Georgian and European Union flags filled Tbilisi’s Freedom Square for what organisers called a national assembly.
Opera star-turned-activist Paata Burchuladze received loud applause at Freedom Square while reading a declaration that returned power to the people and branded the government illegitimate.
Demonstrators constructed barricades and set them ablaze before the crowd dispersed after midnight.
The government prevented an attempted coup planned by foreign intelligence services according to the prime minister’s unsubstantiated claim.
The Interior Ministry initiated an investigation into calls for violently altering Georgia’s constitutional order and arrested five protest leaders including Burchuladze.
Deputy Interior Minister Alexandre Darakvelidze confirmed the five arrested leaders face up to nine years imprisonment.
Saakashvili warned that without action many more people would face arrest while others would be driven out and total hopelessness would prevail.
Rights groups document approximately 60 imprisonments over the past year including key opposition figures, journalists, and activists.
Georgian Dream has maintained power since 2012 under the control of billionaire former prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili.
Georgian Dream claims it safeguards stability in the four-million-person nation against Western deep state efforts to drag Georgia into Ukraine’s war.
The European Union has sanctioned several Georgian Dream officials over previous protest crackdowns and threatened visa-free travel suspension without rule of law improvements. – AFP
Hence then, the article about georgia ruling party wins local polls amid mass protest crackdown was published today ( ) and is available on Daily Sun ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Georgia ruling party wins local polls amid mass protest crackdown )
Also on site :
- Disgraced former Centinela Valley schools Superintendent Jose Fernandez dies
- Gold Star Distribution Inc., Issues Recall of Certain FDA-Regulated Products in Three States Including Drugs, Devices, Cosmetics, Human Foods, and Pet Foods
- ’Beverly Hills, 90210’s Jason Priestley Shares Bold Callout After ‘Worst’ Travel Experience