Election Observer Arrested in Adjara

Election observer from the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA)Giorgi Mshvenieradze was detained and sentenced to three-month pre-trail detention by the Adjara authorities.

Giorgi Mshvenieradze, 21, was detained by the police on November 2, while he was monitoring the elections in Kobuleti. He is accused of hooliganism and deliberate attempts to impede elections at one of the precincts of Kobuleti.

According to the GYLA, Giorgi Mshvenieradze was arrested when he noticed a case of ballot-stuffing.

“Giorgi Mshvenieradze was exercising his duties and rights as an observer and we hope that the Adjara court will be just,” Tina Khidasheli of GYLA says.

The international, as well as the local observers reported numerous irregularities during the elections in Adjara. Some opposition parties demand cancellation of the election results in Adjara, because of mass ballot fraud in the Autonomous Republic.