**Opposition Leader Nika Gvaramia Arrested: Did He Choose to Go to Prison?**
In a dramatic turn of events, the leader of the “Coalition for Change”, Nika Gvaramia, was arrested yesterday after arriving voluntarily at Rustavi’s #12 penitentiary facility. This move has sparked debate and raised questions about whether he deliberately chose to go to prison or was simply staging a show.
According to Irakli Zarkua, the Chairman of the Diaspora Affairs Committee, Gvaramia’s actions were a deliberate attempt to create drama. “He staged a show,” Zarkua said in an interview. The committee chairman emphasized that Gvaramia had been given a 50-day deadline to pay the 30,000 GEL bail, which expired on June 7. By not paying and instead going to prison, Gvaramia was consciously choosing to comply with the court’s decision.
**Court Ruling and Bail**
The court had set the bail at 30,000 GEL for Gvaramia, but he failed to appear at the hearing held at Tbilisi City Court. The prosecution requested that the current bail measure be replaced with pretrial detention, which was granted by the judge. This means that Gvaramia is now facing a period of detention instead of being allowed to continue his activities while awaiting trial.
**Freedom of Choice**
Zarkua stressed that everyone has their own choice and must comply with the law. “If you deliberately don’t pay the bail as determined by the judge, then you’re consciously choosing to go to prison,” he said. The committee chairman also noted that if Gvaramia had paid the bail or complied with the court’s decision, he would have been allowed to continue his activities without any issues.
**Charges Against Gvaramia**
Gvaramia has been charged under Article 349 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which pertains to “failure to comply with the request of the Temporary Investigative Commission of the Parliament of Georgia.” This offense is punishable by a fine, up to one year of imprisonment, or a ban on holding office or engaging in certain activities for up to three years.
**What’s Next?**
As Gvaramia begins his period of detention, many are left wondering what message he intended to send by taking this step. Was it a deliberate attempt to create drama, or was it simply a matter of not paying the bail and complying with the court’s decision? Only time will tell.
Read More @ www.interpressnews.ge
