This article from Civil Georgia reports on a series of incidents involving opposition politicians, activists, and businessmen in Georgia who have been targeted with intimidation, threats, and violence by pro-government groups. The incidents occurred between May 31 and June 6.
Some of the notable cases include:
* Kalandia Abashidze, an activist, being forced to leave her alone and receiving threatening phone calls.
* Khatuna Beridze, head of the NGO Alternative, being arrested and released on parole after calling Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and the Head of the Adjara region’s Government Tornike Rizhvadze “slaves” and “traitors”.
* Ioseb Babaevi, a civic activist and businessman, being controversially arrested in Gori under Article 236 of the Criminal Code, which provides for the illegal purchase or storage of firearms. His lawyer and local people protesting his arrest claim that the police planted guns on him.
* Tsotne Koberidze, a young politician from the opposition party Girchi-More Freedom, being confronted by two unknown assailants wielding electric shock devices near his apartment in Tbilisi.
* Ana Subeliani, a civic activist and co-chair of Tbilisi Pride, receiving a strange call from someone she didn’t know, who tried to trick her into meeting him and then verbally abused her.
* The central office of the United National Movement being vandalized by 30-40 thugs, with Levan Khabeishvili, UNM leader, sharing video footage on Facebook Live.
These incidents highlight a worrying trend in Georgia where opposition politicians, activists, and businessmen are being targeted with intimidation, threats, and violence. The government has opened investigations into some of these cases, but the perpetrators have not been brought to justice yet.