In Georgia, arrests of oppositionists continue

In Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, two activists of the oppositional party "People's Movement to Save Georgia" were arrested.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that last night the police also detained activists of the Party headed by Nino Burdzhanadze, ex-speaker of the parliament, named "Democratic Movement - United Georgia".

"The arrests of Malkhaz Gvelukashvili and Lasha Chkhenkeli, activists of the 'People's Movement to Save Georgia', we made last night. They are suspected of preparing an anti-governmental plot," said advocate Zaza Vashakmadze. According to his story, in the nearest future the trial will be held, where charges will be presented to his clients.

"I had no time to study the inquiry materials yet, but, allegedly, they are based on tapped telephone conversations," the "Interfax" quotes the advocate as saying.

At the same time, Ombudsman of Georgia Sozar Subari demanded that the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) make public the whereabouts of all the detained members of Ms Burdzhanadze's Party.

According to the Ombudsman's office, in total nine members of the "Democratic Movement - United Georgia" were detained. In particular, in Batumi Zurab Avaliani, leader of the Adzharian branch of the Party, and Nugzar Gogrichidze and Dato Gogracgadze were detained. In Tbilisi, the detainees are Vakho Narsiya, Mamuka Shengeliya, Vakho Tushmalishvili, Roin Bugashvili, Georgiy Bolashvili and Georgiy Georgievich Bolashvili.

In her turn, Nino Burdzhanadze has held a special press conference, where she treated the actions of the authorities "a retaliatory campaign" and accused them of an attempt to discredit her Party.

The Georgian media have also disseminated information about possible "arrest of Burdzhanadze's husband - Badri Bitsadze - under a pretext of creating an illegal armed formation," as the ITAR-TASS reports. Mr Bitsadze himself has confirmed that he was under threat of arrest and was recommended even "to leave the country for a month to escape arrest."

"The former Minister of Interior told me that President insists on my arrest and he can't prevent it. He recommended me 'on my own good will' to leave Georgia for a month. But I'm not going to leave, and prefer to wait for them to arrest me," the "Rosbalt" quotes Badri Bitsadze, former head of Georgia's Frontier Service, as saying.

Despite the arrests, the opposition continues preparations for the mass protest action planned for April 9 with demand of Saakashvili's resignation.