29 May 2009, 18:00
Kakabadze: 7 oppositionists detained in Tbilisi after clash with police
As reported by Nana Kakabadze, leader of the NGO "Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights", late at night on May 28 seven supporters of the opposition were detained on suspicion of rendering resistance to law enforcers during a clash with the police near the building of the parliament.
According to Ms Kakabadze, Ramaz Dzhashiashvili, Luka Gvaramadze, Dato Kenchadze, Leval Loluashvili, Dato Kapanadze, Lasha Guledani and Konstantin Gugulashvili were detained at exit from hospital, where they had been brought with various traumas.
Under the version of the opposition, yesterday the authorities sent the so-called "sonder-brigades" - agents in civil clothes and masks, and armed with truncheons - to punish their opponents. On the other hand, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Georgia has stated that oppositionists had seized a MIA employee, and the policemen who came for help were beaten. According to the MIA, 8 militiamen were hospitalized. Yesterday it was reported that three of them were knifed.
Shota Khizanishvili, head of MIA's administration, has neither confirmed the detention of oppositionists, nor refuted this information. The today's statement of the MIA runs that two suspects were detained after the attack on policemen, and three more are searched. 30 persons have already been interrogated as witnesses of the incident, as reported by the "Newsru.com".
Let us note here that yesterday Elias II, Patriarch of All Georgia, addressed his statement to the authorities of Georgia, urging them to take practical steps towards normalization of the situation in the country through early election or talks with the opposition.
