Georgia’s opposition breaks with political fellow after court arson attempt

Georgia’s opposition coalition “Lelo – Strong Georgia” has distanced itself from the recent actions of Aleko Elisashvili, one of its leading figures, following his attempted arson of a government building.

In a statement, the coalition condemned Elisashvili’s attempt to set fire to the Tbilisi City Court building, calling the act “unacceptable and unjustifiable," Caliber.Az reports, citing Georgian media.

His allies have elaborated on their statement, saying that the opposition “must not allow the 'regime' [ed: in reference to the current government] to force it to abandon peaceful and lawful methods of resistance.”

As Caliber.Az recalls citing Civil Georgia, Georgian authorities detained Elisashvili on the morning of November 29. He had used a hammer to break a window of the Tbilisi Court office building, entered the premises and started pouring gasoline on “chancellery items, technical equipment, and documents,” and “attempted to set the building on fire.” Georgia's interior ministry reported that Elisashvili was caught at the scene by bailiffs, whom he “resisted using a firearm he carried and physically assaulted,” yet the officers still managed to detain him.

Elisashvili’s defence lawyer has referred to the attempt as a “protest against the unfair judiciary.”

By Nazrin Sadigova