**Opposition Leaders Remain Unbroken Despite Arrests and Harassment**
In a statement to journalists, Elene Khoshtaria, the leader of the “Coalition for Change,” made it clear that despite the arrests and harassment faced by opposition leaders Nika Gvaramia, Zurab Japaridze, Nika Melia, and Irakli Okruashvili, they remain the true victors in this struggle.
Khoshtaria pointed out that these individuals have consistently refused to acknowledge or cooperate with the system, which has led to a reaction from law enforcement and other authorities. She emphasized that this fight is not just about discomfort, but rather about standing up against regimes that use violence and intimidation to silence opposition voices.
**Background on Nika Gvaramia’s Arrest**
Nika Gvaramia, the leader of the “Coalition for Change,” was arrested outside Rustavi’s No. 12 penitentiary, where he had voluntarily appeared in response to a summons. He had called 112 and requested a police patrol before arriving at the penitentiary, and officers later stated that they had forwarded information about his location to the relevant agency.
**Court Hearing and Charges**
During today’s court hearing, the prosecution requested to replace Gvaramia’s 30,000 GEL bail with pretrial detention. The judge granted this request, and Gvaramia’s bail was replaced with imprisonment. He did not appear at the hearing held in Tbilisi City Court today.
Khoshtaria noted that Gvaramia had been summoned to testify before the Georgian Parliament’s Temporary Investigative Commission but failed to appear, leading to charges under Article 349 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to “failure to comply with the request of the Temporary Investigative Commission of the Georgian Parliament.” This charge is punishable by a fine or up to one year of imprisonment and/or deprivation of the right to hold office or engage in professional activity for up to three years.
**Khoshtaria’s Commentary**
In her statement, Khoshtaria made it clear that the fight against these opposition leaders involves discomfort, including beatings and imprisonments. However, she emphasized that this discomfort is necessary to defeat regimes like this. She expressed confidence that the “Coalition for Change” will ultimately prevail, including for Nika’s sake.
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