The court arrested five oppositionists who stormed the residence of the President of Georgia

The Tbilisi City Court has arrested five opposition politicians who organized an attempt to storm the presidential palace during anti-government protests in Georgia. This was reported on October 7 by the Interpressnews agency (recognized as a foreign agent in the territory of the Russian Federation).

"To the leaders of the Rustaveli Gamziri movement (from Georgian — Rustaveli Avenue, protests took place on this street. Paata Burchuladze, former Prosecutor General Murtaza Zodelava, member of the National Movement Irakli Nadiradze, one of the leaders of the Development Strategy Paata Manjgaladze and Colonel Lasha Beridze were given a preventive measure in the form of arrest," the publication says.

It is noted that the state prosecution demanded the arrest of all five defendants, explaining this by the threat of the escape of the oppositionists and their commission of new crimes. In turn, the defense, according to the agency, offered to leave the accused without a preventive measure. Opposition lawyers also said that the case is political in nature.

The defendants in the case pleaded not guilty to the charges, Interpressnews concludes.

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The confrontation between the government and the opposition is escalating

Protests against the ruling Georgian Dream party began in Tbilisi on October 4 against the backdrop of the country's parliamentary elections. Izvestia correspondent Giorgi Jabishvili, who covered the protesters' march, noted that not only Georgian national flags could be seen in the crowd, but also American flags. The protesters broke the fence near the presidential palace.

Later, on October 6, the Prosecutor General's Office of Georgia charged five oppositionists for calling for a coup. According to the agency, the defendants mobilized supporters to prepare violent actions to seize power during the protests over the results of the parliamentary elections in Georgia on October 4. According to the prosecutor's office, they planned to seize the administrative building of the President of Georgia and other actions aimed at destabilizing the situation in the country. The oppositionists face up to nine years in prison.

On the same day, it was reported that police had detained 13 participants in the storming of the presidential residence in Tbilisi. Deputy Interior Minister Alexander Darakhvelidze noted that the investigation is being conducted under Articles 317, 222, 225 and 187 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which include attacks on police officers, calls for the overthrow of state power, participation in group violence and an attempt to seize objects of special importance.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.