Opposition Lelo member Tazo Datunashvili allegedly detained in Tbilisi City Court

Tazo Datunashvili, a member of the opposition party Lelo for Georgia, was reportedly arrested and forcibly removed from the courtroom at Tbilisi City Court following the announcement of a verdict in the case of 21-year-old activist Mate Devidze.

The situation escalated into tensions inside the court building. Although the Ministry of Internal Affairs has not confirmed the arrest, video footage and statements from opposition members suggest that Datunashvili was manhandled by court bailiffs.

According to Saba Buadze, a senior figure within the Lelo party, Datunashvili was physically assaulted and is currently being held in a basement holding cell within the court premises. Buadze also claims that Datunashvili's phone was confiscated.

“Tazo Datunashvili was abducted by court bailiffs, beaten, and is now locked in a cell in the courthouse basement. His phone was taken,” Buadze wrote on Facebook.