Georgian oppositionist arrested for failure to appear at parliamentary investigative commission meeting

On May 22, the Tbilisi City Court sentenced one of the leaders of the opposition party "Coalition for Change" Zurab Girchi Japaridze to arrest as a preventive measure. He was taken into custody in the courtroom.

Earlier, Japaridze refused to pay bail in the amount of 20 thousand lari, set by the court for failure to appear for questioning by the parliamentary investigative commission. The defendant foresaw the new court decision, since former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili was arrested under similar circumstances before this: he also failed to appear at the commission meeting and then refused to pay bail.

Yesterday's court hearing took place against the backdrop of clashes between the police and supporters of Zurab Japaridze outside and inside the building. The conflicts arose because not everyone who wanted to was allowed into the courtroom.

Japaridze's lawyers left the trial in protest, and the court did not provide a government lawyer. Thus, the decision was made in the absence of the defense.

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