Tbilisi, June 20, 2019

Georgian Broadcaster / YouTube

The Georgian interior Ministry will investigate the circumstances of the protest on the night of 21 June in Tbilisi, under articles about mass riots and rebellion for the forceful change of the constitutional order (articles 225 and 315 of the Criminal code of Georgia). This was reported by the press service of the Prosecutor General of Georgia.

According to the investigation, the participants of the storming of the Parliament was planning further action to seize power, which would lead to crimes throughout the country. Their intentions are neutralized by law enforcement officers. Soon the number of defendants in this case will be increased. The Supervisory authority promised to periodically inform the public about the investigation, reports “Interfax”.

The investigation against the Deputy of the Parliament of Nikanor Melia continues, the report said. Melia is the Deputy from the oppositional “United national movement” former ruling party. He was charged with organizing mass disturbances under article 225 of the criminal code of Georgia. On June 27 the court rejected the demand of the investigation of his arrest and was released the MP bail. In his case questioned 60 witnesses, said the Prosecutor General.

At the same time continuing the investigation of the abuse of power by the police who dispersed the protesters on the night of 21 June. In the framework of this investigation have interviewed 170 people, including injured protesters, and journalists.

A series of protests began in Tbilisi on June 20. The reason for them was the session of the General Assembly of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO) held in the Georgian Parliament. Following the approved Protocol, the head of the Russian delegation, state Duma Deputy from the Communist party Sergei Gavrilov, who is President of map, occupied the speaker’s chair and spoke in Russian. The opposition in protest disrupted the meeting, after which the Russian delegation had to leave Georgia under protection of special services.

Protests immediately resulted in the attempted storming of Parliament. In the end, to disperse the protesters, the Georgian police used tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons. Injured 240 people, including 80 police officers, 305 people were arrested. 121 the detainee was sent into custody for 12 days, then released him.

The President of Georgia in 2003-2013, and is now a citizen of Ukraine, Mikhail Saakashvili supported the protesters and called on police not to obey the orders of the current authorities and “go to the side of the people”. He appealed to the opposition with a call to move from all corners of the country “in the direction of Tbilisi” to “remove from Ivanishvili’s government in Georgia” (Bidzina Ivanishvili, former Prime Minister of Georgia and leader of the party “Georgian dream – Democratic Georgia”).

Saakashvili called the current regime, the party “Georgian dream” and its leader, the Pro-Moscow force. The ex-President said that Georgia should be the next after Ukraine, Armenia and Moldova in a series of countries liberated from Russian influence.

The current President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili has condemned the statements of Saakashvili. She called unacceptable the situation, when a citizen of another country from abroad calls upon the police to disobey the government. In her view, organize riots “destructive” opposition forces who perform “plan of Moscow”. She deleted “Orthodox Union” of Russia and Georgia, saying they did not believe in the Union with the country, “occupying its territory” and fighting “with religion, Christian rules”.

“Russia is our enemy and occupier. It managed a fifth column, perhaps today may be more dangerous than open aggression. I would like to say again that the split of the country and society and the internal opposition to anyone not going to the hand, except Russia, and today it is her most skilled weapon,” wrote Zurabishvili in his Facebook. According to her, those who encourage the internal opposition in Georgia, supported by “Russian policy”.

Then the Prime Minister of Georgia Mamuka Bakhtadze has laid on Saakashvili’s responsibility for the protests in Tbilisi.