UNM’s Khabeishvili says his arrest symbolises ruling party’s ‘fear and capitulation,’ declares Georgia’s ‘revolution of flags’ approaching

Levan Khabeishvili, Chair of the opposition United National Movement’s Political Council, on Monday said his detention represented the ruling Georgian Dream’s “fear, defeat, and capitulation,” and claimed that a “revolution of flags” was drawing near in Georgia.

“In my arrest, they detained their own fear, defeat, and capitulation. [Ruling party Founder Bidzina Ivanishvili] is afraid even of a shadow, and that is why he threw me in prison. What [he] does not understand is that Georgia’s revolution of flags is approaching,” Khabeishvili wrote on social media.

He added that Ivanishvili had long dictated “their own rules of the game,” but would not accept those set by the Georgian people. “October 4 will be our Didgori,” Khabeishvili declared, referring to the historic Georgian victory in 1121.

Khabeishvili was arrested on September 11 by the State Security Service on charges of publicly offering money to officials as a bribe. He was remanded into custody by court order, while his defence lawyers have already appealed the ruling.