At least three arrested in Georgia for instigating and participating in “gang violence”

MADRID Dec. 7 () –

The Ministry of the Interior of Georgia reported late this Friday of the arrest of three more people accused of “leading and participating” in the violent acts that are taking place in different parts of the country within the framework of the anti-government protests to demand a repeat of the elections held at the end of October.

“As a result of operational measures and investigative actions, agents of the Central Criminal Police Department of the Ministry of the Interior have arrested three people for organizing, directing and participating in violent gang acts,” reads a statement from the Interior, which It identifies the detainees as three men born in 1971, 1998 and 2004 and indicates that the aforementioned crimes “provide for up to nine years in prison.”

Following these arrests, the Ministry has raised to 26 the total number of people detained in recent days as part of this latest investigation, launched “under articles 225 and 239 of the Georgian Criminal Code, which refer to the organization , leadership or participation in group violence and public incitement to violent actions.”

The Georgian authorities have searched – following a court ruling – during the process “offices and places of residence of people involved in the case” and have seized “firearms, a large amount of cash, memory cards, computer equipment , as well as helmets, gas masks, a large amount of pyrotechnics, electrical equipment, the so-called Molotov cocktails, paints, various types of solutions, for which the relevant examinations have been appointed.”

Thus, from the Interior they have also reiterated their call to citizens “to obey the legal demands of the Police and not to interfere in the performance of official activities” and have warned that, “otherwise, actions will be taken against them.” appropriate measures defined by law.”

The authorities estimate that the total number of detainees now amounts to around 300 since the start of this latest wave of protests, which have been concentrated mainly on Rustaveli Avenue and in the vicinity of the Parliament of Georgia.

Demonstrations continue in the country as Prime Minister Irakli Kobajidze faces the opposition and the country’s president, Salomé Zurabishvili, who insist that institutions have been “hijacked” since the October 26 elections and demand that a new electoral process be held to resolve the internal crisis.

However, Parliament has already approved the call for the presidential elections, which will take place on December 14 and will end Zurabishvili’s mandate as head of state despite the fact that she has stressed that she will not leave office until the elections are repeated. , which resulted in the victory of the government Georgian Dream party by a narrow margin and amid allegations of fraud.