U.S. Helsinki Commission Calls for Melia Release, Dialogue

Leaders of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, Congressmen Alcee Hastings (FL-20) and Joe Wilson (SC-02), as well as Senators Roger Wicker (MS) and Ben Cardin (MD), in a joint statement said “storming” opposition United National Movement (UNM) headquarters and “arbitrarily detaining” opposition leader Nika Melia “is not in keeping with democratic progress.”

Noting that “Georgia has committed to respecting democratic institutions, human rights, and the rule of law” as a participating state in the OSCE, the joint statement urged the Georgian Government “to release Nika Melia, deescalate the crisis, and recommit to dialogue rather than aggression.”

• U.S. Senators, Congressmen: UNM Raid, Melia Detention “Deeply Troubling”
• U.S. ‘Deeply Troubled’ By Melia’s Detention
• U.S. Embassy: Georgia Backtracked on its Path to Democracy
• “Act in Line with Euro-Atlantic Aspirations,” U.S. State Dept Tells Georgian Gov’t

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