**US Senator Condemns Arrests of Georgian Opposition Leaders**
The arrest and imprisonment of opposition leaders in Georgia has sparked international condemnation, with a leading US senator weighing in on the issue. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has spoken out against what she sees as an attempt to silence dissenting voices.
“The prosecution and imprisonment of democratic opposition leaders in Georgia is not justice — it is repression,” Senator Shaheen wrote on social media platform X. “Badri Japaridze, Mamuka Khazaradze, Zurab Japaridze, Nika Melia, Nika Gvaramia, Irakli Okruashvili, and many others who have been detained deserve freedom — now.”
The arrests in question stem from a June 24 court ruling against Giorgi Vashadze, the leader of the “Strategy Aghmashenebeli” party. Vashadze was found guilty of failing to comply with a request from a temporary parliamentary investigative commission and sentenced to 7 months in prison. Two leaders of the “Strong Georgia” party, Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, were also arrested on June 23 and each received an 8-month prison sentence.
Another opposition leader, Zurab “Girchi” Japaridze, was sentenced to 8 months in prison on June 23. All three leaders were banned from holding public office for 2 years.
Senator Shaheen’s statement highlights the concerns of many international observers about the direction of democracy in Georgia. The country has faced criticism for its treatment of opposition politicians and media outlets in recent years.
The arrests have sparked widespread protests across Georgia, with demonstrators calling for an end to what they see as an attempt to silence dissenting voices. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the international community will respond to these developments.
