**Opposition Leader Jailed in Tbilisi**
Aleko Elisashvili, a leader of the opposition group Strong Georgia, has been sent to jail for two months. He was charged with attacking a member of the ruling party, Ali Babaev.
The court said Elisashvili could be violent and might try to influence witnesses if he were released on bail. But his lawyers said that video footage shows him acting in self-defense when Babaev attacked him with an iron bar.
Elisashvili was arrested on December 4 while protesting near Freedom Square. The arrest happened during a confrontation between opposition leaders and government-paid thugs.
**Growing Concerns About Crackdown**
This is not the first time opposition leaders have been detained by police. Recently, Nika Gvaramia from the Coalition for Change was sentenced to eight days in prison on administrative charges. This has raised concerns about state-led repression.
The situation has worsened since Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Georgia would stop integrating with the EU. Local and international politicians have warned that this move is a sign of turning away from democratic values.
**International Reactions**
Some countries, like Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, and Ukraine, have already imposed sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the ruling party, and officials responsible for human rights violations during the dispersal of rallies.
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