Latvia and Lithuania "deeply concerned" about detention of Georgian opposition leader

The governments of Latvia and Lithuania have expressed deep concern over the detention of Georgian opposition politician Zurab Japaridze, issuing statements on social media platform X on May 24. The Latvian Embassy in Georgia stated that "repressive actions against the opposition directly contradict EU values," while the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that "democratic decline, along with repressive actions against civic society, including unfounded detentions, is the way to nowhere," declaring solidarity with Japaridze.

Zurab Japaridze is the leader of the More Freedom – Girchi party and a key figure in the opposition coalition Coalition for Change. He was placed in pre-trial detention on May 22 after a Tbilisi court approved prosecutors’ motion to replace his 20,000 GEL bail with incarceration. Japaridze is charged under Article 349 of Georgia’s Criminal Code for allegedly disobeying a court order, following his refusal to appear before a parliamentary investigative commission — a decision he described as a protest against a politically motivated process. His arrest has sparked widespread criticism from Georgia’s international partners, who view it as a sign of growing democratic backsliding.