Opposition leader to Georgian Gov't: "We are not afraid, you cannot imprison us all"

Deputy Chair of the National Committee of opposition United National Movement, Khatia Dekanoidze, has criticized the Georgian leadership amid the arrests of three prominant opposition figures.

“They intend to dismantle this country,” she warned. “They want to force people to either submit, flee into emigration, or end up in prison.”

Dekanoidze called for unity and mass mobilization, stating, “Only through consolidation and consensus can Georgia survive. Otherwise, there will be no future.”

She also addressed the regime directly: “I’m not afraid to say this — you won’t be able to arrest everyone. And even if you do, more people will rise up. The Georgian people will bring down this Russian regime.”

Her remarks come as opposition leaders of Lelo party Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze were detained today and sentenced to eight months in prison for failing to comply with a summons from a parliamentary investigative commission probing alleged crimes under the United National Movement government between 2003-2012. They have also been banned from holding public office for two years.

On the same day, Zurab Japaridze, leader of the Coalition for Change, was also sentenced to seven months in prison and similarly barred from public office for two years.