Two Georgian opposition leaders arrested at anti-government protest

Georgian police have arrested two opposition leaders during a street protest against the ruling party, which is accused of undermining democracy and bringing Tbilisi closer to Russia, the Guardian reports.

The Black Sea country has been hit by daily mass protests since the Georgian Dream party declared victory in parliamentary elections in October, the results of which the opposition rejected as falsified.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's announcement on November 28 that his government would not begin EU membership negotiations before 2028 further fueled the demonstrations.

Police today detained the leader of the liberal pro-European Ahali party, Niko Melia, and former Tbilisi mayor Gigi Ugulava, a prominent opposition figure. Melia and Ugulava had been imprisoned for years under the Georgian Dream government on charges that human rights groups have condemned as politically motivated.

The arrests came as thousands of protesters tried to block the entrance to a highway leading into the capital. Several other people were also detained and at least one was injured.

Before the protest, the Ministry of Internal Affairs issued a statement warning protesters that blocking the highway was a criminal offense punishable by up to four years in prison.

During the first wave of protests, which began in late November, riot police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd, with more than 400 demonstrators arrested, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Georgian Ombudsman Levan Ioseliani and Amnesty International have accused police of torturing detainees.

Human rights activists in Georgia have condemned what they say is a growing campaign of intimidation, beatings and arrests of those who take to the streets. Security forces and the judiciary in Tbilisi face constant accusations of repression against opponents of the ruling party.

Accused by Brussels and Washington of undermining democracy and diverting Tbilisi from its European path, the Georgian Dream government faces growing international isolation.

Last Monday, Brussels suspended visa-free travel to the EU for Georgian diplomats and officials, citing the enactment of several repressive laws and the "violent crackdown on peaceful protesters, politicians and independent media."

Last year, the US and several European countries imposed sanctions on Georgian officials, citing the government's tilt toward Russia and the violent suppression of protests and dissent after disputed elections.

Amid the largest anti-government protest in its history, Georgia is also facing an unprecedented constitutional crisis, as the opposition refuses to enter the newly elected parliament.

Pro-Western President Salome Zurabishvili declared the parliament and government illegitimate.

Her successor, Mikhail Kavelashvili, a ruling party loyalist and far-right politician, was inaugurated on December 29 after a controversial election process, but Zurabishvili insists she remains the legitimate leader.

Last month, she attended Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington and met with Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris.