Georgia arrests second opposition figure as pro-EU protests continue
Lawyers for Nika Melia, one of the figureheads for Georgia's pro-Western Coalition for Change, said his car was stopped by police on Thursday.
Soon after, he was bundled away by a large group of people in civilian clothing.
According to the interior ministry, Melia has been detained on charges of verbally insulting a law enforcement officer.
A court placed Melia in pre-trial detention but the length of that period of imprisonment has not been made clear.
The arrest comes a week after that of Zurab Japaridze, another leader of the pro-Western, liberal coalition of parties that support European Union integration and want a restoration of democratic norms.
Japaridze, who heads the New Political Centre (Girchi) party, was detained on 22 May after refusing to appear before a parliamentary commission investigating alleged wrongdoings by the government of former president Mikheil Saakashvili.
Opposition politicians have declined to attend the commission hearings, saying they are politically motivated by Georgian Dream to damage the opposition, particularly Saakashvili's United National Movement party.
Melia, of the Ahali party and former chairman of Saakashvili's United National Movement party, was detained on the eve of a scheduled court hearing for failing to testify.
Japaridze and seven other opposition politicians who did not attend the commission are expected to appear before a court in coming days.
If found guilty of failing to comply with a parliamentary investigative commission, they face up to a year in prison.
Meanwhile, demonstrators have continued to gather in the capital Tbilisi, demanding new elections and the release of dissidents.
Nightly protests began on 28 November, when Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze halted the country's EU integration process.
Georgia has seen widespread political unrest since the country's last parliamentary election in October, which was won by Georgian Dream.
Protestors and the country's opposition declared the result as illegitimate amid allegations of vote-rigging helped by Russia, sparking weeks of protests across the country.
At the time, opposition leaders vowed to boycott sessions of parliament until a new parliamentary election was held under international supervision and alleged ballot irregularities were investigated.
Georgian Dream has seen widespread condemnation by European leaders and international rights groups over its rough handling of protestors and perceived democratic backsliding.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
an hour ago
- France 24
Zelensky returns to site of stunning Oval Office shouting match
At the February 28 meeting, Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelensky on live television, accusing him of being ungrateful for US aid provided since Russia's invasion three years prior, and pressing for quick negotiations to end the war. The hostile confrontation marked a turning point in Kyiv-Washington relations, which had been warm under former president Joe Biden, and raised fears that Trump would cut off US military support. The scene quickly devolved at the end of a long question-and-answer session with the press. Vance accused Zelensky of being "disrespectful" and displaying ingratitude for Trump's diplomatic efforts, after the Ukrainian leader expressed skepticism that Russian President Vladimir Putin could be trusted given his repeated violations of earlier agreements. As Zelensky defended his position in his non-native English, Trump was enraged by the Ukrainian leader's suggestion that while the United States was currently far from the fighting, "you will feel it in the future" if they appeased Putin. "You don't know that. You don't know that. Don't tell us what we're going to feel. We're trying to solve a problem. Don't tell us what we're going to feel," railed Trump, before adding: "You're not in a good position. You don't have the cards right now." As tempers flared, Vance demanded Zelensky thank the United States for the billions provided to Kyiv in military aid. "Have you said 'thank you' once?" he asked. When Zelensky attempted to respond, he was silenced by Trump. "No, no. You've done a lot of talking. Your country is in big trouble," said Trump, cutting Zelensky off. The Ukrainian leader left the White House shortly after, without signing a mineral rights deal that was a key reason for his visit. In the ensuing days, the United States temporarily cut off military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, heightening European fears that Trump would side with Putin in trying to end the conflict. Shifting tides Much water has since flowed under the bridge, however. Trump, who has in the past expressed his admiration for Putin, began to lose patience with the Russian leader, as Moscow kept up its military offensive even as US special envoy Steve Witkoff engaged in feverish diplomacy to achieve a ceasefire. In April, Trump met with Zelensky at the Vatican, and accused Putin of "tapping me along" without delivering on promises. Days later, Ukraine and the United States finally signed a minerals deal, which Trump had earlier referred to as compensation for US aid. The two leaders also met face-to-face in June on the sidelines of the NATO summit at The Hague. On Friday, Trump met with Putin in Alaska to discuss the Ukrainian conflict, promising to run any proposals by both Ukraine and its European allies before agreeing to a deal. Shortly after the Putin summit, Trump invited Zelensky to the Oval Office. Perhaps wary of the contours of the previous diplomatic dust-up, Zelensky quickly said he was "grateful for the invitation." European leaders will join Zelensky in Washington on Monday, seeking above all else to prevent another Oval Office meltdown -- but also to coordinate on the path toward peace negotiations, especially on how to prevent any future Russian invasion. On the latter front, the Trump administration says it is now open to providing Ukraine security guarantees, a shift hailed Sunday by Ukrainian and European leaders. Zelensky is expected to first meet one-on-one with Trump, before they are joined by European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, a European government source said.
France 24
an hour ago
- France 24
Asia stocks up, oil down before Trump-Zelensky talks
US President Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, but the summit failed to yield any breakthrough on a ceasefire in Ukraine. Zelensky, who will be joined in Washington by European leaders, however called a US offer of security guarantees to Ukraine "historic". "Trump and Putin walked away without a ceasefire, without even the illusion of one," said Stephen Innes at SPI Asset Management. "What they did offer was theatre: enough 'progress' for Trump to declare victory and quietly holster his double-barreled threat -- tariffs on Beijing for buying Russian barrels and sanctions on Moscow's crude," Innes said. Before the Alaska talks, US stocks wavered on Friday after mixed economic data, with retail sales up but an industrial production index and a consumer survey both down. Oil prices, which have been volatile for several days -- Russia is a major crude producer -- fell back on Monday, adding to a drop on Friday. Japan's Nikkei was up, posting a new record high and adding to gains on Friday after better-than-expected economic growth data. The Hang Seng, Shanghai, and Sydney were also higher while Taipei fell back. This week investor eyes will be on any clues on US interest rates at the Federal Reserve's annual retreat at Jackson Hole. Key figures at around 0130 GMT Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.7 percent at 43,678.12 Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.1 percent at 25,293.34 Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 3,704.76 New York - Dow: UP 0.1 percent at 44,946.12 (close) London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.4 percent at 9,138.90 (close) Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1699 from $1.1704 on Friday Pound/dollar: DOWN $1.3556 at from $1.3557 Dollar/yen: UP at 147.47 yen from 146.85 yen Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.30 pence from 86.34 pence © 2025 AFP
France 24
8 hours ago
- France 24
NATO-like protection for Ukraine in focus as Zelensky, European leaders head for Trump meeting
European leaders said Sunday they would join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in talks with US President Donald Trump on Monday, as they try to find a way to end Russia 's offensive. Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday but the talks failed to yield any breakthrough on a ceasefire – though White House envoy Steve Witkoff said both leaders had agreed to provide "robust security guarantees" to Ukraine. Witkoff, who took part in the Trump-¨Putin talks in Alaska, said it 'was the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that' and called it 'game-changing.' 'We were able to win the following concession: That the United States could offer Article 5-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO," Witkoff told CNN's 'State of the Union.' Witkoff offered few details on how such an arrangement would work. But it appeared to be a major shift for Putin and could serve as a workaround to his deep-seated objection to Ukraine's potential NATO membership, a step that Kyiv has long sought. It was expected to be a key topic Monday as Zelensky and major European leaders meet with Trump at the White House. Article 5, at the heart of the 32-member trans-Atlantic military alliance, says an armed attack against one or more member nations shall be considered an attack against them all. What needed to be hammered out at this week's talks were the contours of any security guarantees, said Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also participated in the summit. Ukraine and European allies have pushed the US to provide that backstop in any peace agreement to deter future attacks by Moscow. 'How that's constructed, what we call it, how it's built, what guarantees are built into it that are enforceable, that's what we'll be talking about over the next few days with our partners," Rubio said on NBC's 'Meet the Press.' It was unclear, however, whether Trump had fully committed to such a guarantee. Rubio said it would be 'a huge concession." The comments shed new light on what was discussed in Alaska. Before Sunday, US officials had offered few details even as both Trump and Putin said their meeting was a success. Zelensky hails 'historic' US security guarantees reports European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday hailed the reports of robust security guarantees for Ukraine. But Zelensky, speaking alongside her at a news conference in Brussels, rejected the idea of Russia offering his country security guarantees. "What President Trump said about security guarantees is much more important to me than Putin's thoughts, because Putin will not give any security guarantees," he said. Zelensky later said on social media that the US offer regarding security guarantees was "historic". 00:55 Moscow denounces Macron French President Emmanuel Macron, who will take part in the Washington meeting along with von der Leyen and others, said European leaders would ask Washington "to what extent" they were ready to contribute to the security guarantees offered to Ukraine in any peace agreement. Of Moscow's position, he said: "There is only one state proposing a peace that would be a capitulation: Russia." Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called that an "abject lie" in a statement on Telegram later Sunday. Moscow had been proposing a "peaceful resolution" of the conflict for seven years under the terms of the Minsk Accords, she said. Macron, she added, was trying to convince Ukraine that it could win on the battlefield even when he knew that that was "impossible". Hopes for 'productive meeting' Trump, who pivoted after the Alaska meeting to say he was now seeking a peace deal rather than a ceasefire, on Sunday posted "BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA. STAY TUNED!" on his Truth Social platform, without elaborating. Trump's sudden focus on a peace deal aligns with the stance long taken by Putin, one which Ukraine and its European allies have criticised as Putin's way to buy time while trying to make battlefield gains. Zelensky also said he saw "no sign" the Kremlin leader was prepared to meet him and Trump for a three-way summit, as had been floated by the US president. The leaders heading to Washington on Monday to appear alongside Zelensky call themselves the "coalition of the willing". As well as von der Leyen and Macron, they include British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Also heading to Washington will be Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who get on well with Trump. On Sunday they all held a video meeting to prepare their joint position.
