UNM vows political struggle will continue ‘despite threat of imprisonment’

Irakli Pavlenishvili, head of the collegial governing body of the opposition United National Movement (UNM), on Monday pledged the opposition will continue its political struggle “despite the threat of imprisonment and other legal pressure” as the Constitutional Court considers a case seeking to ban five political parties.

Pavlenishvili said that years of legal pressure, asset freezes and the risk of imprisonment had not stopped people from continuing their political activities. He argued that further restrictive measures would not bring the opposition's campaign to an end.

He also said the UNM intends to challenge the Constitutional Court's eventual ruling at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

The Constitutional Court is due to resume hearings on 10 November in a case concerning a government request to declare five political parties unconstitutional and ban them. Pavlenishvili dismissed the allegations underpinning the case, which he said relied on findings by a parliamentary commission led by former justice minister Thea Tsulukiani.