Former Opera Singer Among Five Opposition Leaders Arrested in Georgia Over Alleged Attempt to Overthrow Government

International Desk | PNN:
Prosecutors in Georgia have arrested five opposition leaders on charges of attempting to overthrow the government following protests in the capital, Tbilisi, last Saturday. The protests escalated into clashes between demonstrators and police.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that a total of 13 people have been arrested in connection with the unrest. Among the detainees is world-renowned opera singer and activist Pata Burchulze, who read a statement at the rally declaring that "power is returning to the people" and described the current government as "illegitimate."

During local elections on Saturday in Freedom Square in Tbilisi, over 10,000 anti-government protesters gathered. Although the country’s largest opposition blocs boycotted the election, some leaders had pledged a “peaceful revolution.”

However, minutes before voting concluded, a small group of protesters attempted to enter the presidential building. Riot police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse them.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs said it has launched an investigation into calls to "violently alter Georgia’s constitutional system or seize state power." Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze described the incident as an “attempted coup” and promised further arrests of opposition leaders. He told reporters, “No one will escape punishment… many more will face consequences for violence against the state and law enforcement.”

The five arrested leaders face charges carrying a maximum sentence of nine years in prison.

On Sunday evening, hundreds of protesters gathered outside Parliament, blocked major roads in Tbilisi, and vowed to continue their demonstrations until the ruling Georgian Dream Party relinquishes power.

The local election commission reported that the Georgian Dream Party secured majorities in municipal councils across all towns and achieved landslide victories in mayoral races. Since most opposition parties boycotted the elections, these results were largely expected.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s State Security Service (SSS) said it recovered a large cache of firearms, ammunition, and explosives from a forested area near Tbilisi. The weapons had been stockpiled by a Georgian national under the direction of another Georgian involved with Ukrainian forces.

Notably, over the past year, the crackdown on independent media, restrictions on civil society, and imprisonment of dozens of opposition leaders and activists made this local election particularly significant. Rights groups report that around 60 opposition figures, journalists, and activists have been jailed over the past year. The Georgian Dream Party has vowed to ban all major opposition parties.