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Kobakhidze Says Special Operation Underway to Arrest Protesters Involved in Presidential Residence Clashes
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Georgian law enforcement is conducting a special operation to detain individuals involved in the recent unrest at the presidential residence. Speaking to Rustavi 2, the Prime Minister said several people would be arrested and that the process would continue in the coming days.
"We reminded everyone before October 4 that we have more resources to identify the perpetrators, criminals; therefore, many protesters and perpetrators will have to wait for appropriate measures," Kobakhidze said.
According to him, many of those who took part in the clashes have already been identified. "Some are hiding in apartments, some have fled to the regions," he said, adding that "the declared organizers have been detained" and that authorities are now targeting those who directly "brought the storming" to the presidential residence.
Kobakhidze described the group as composed of "trained youth-extremist" members who had "a specific task to storm the state." He said the attempt had failed, calling it "the fifth attempt to organize a revolution in our country," which he claimed was "supported from the outside."
"During these four years, we have seen the fifth attempt to organize a revolution in our country, which was supported from the outside. In this case, too, the state was well prepared, and this fifth attempt was also thwarted," he said. "We cannot wait for the sixth, seventh, and eighth attempts. Our main task is to ensure that no one dares to make any sixth attempt. Everything will be done for this, and appropriate measures will be taken."
He emphasized that anyone involved in the violence would be held accountable. "Whoever was involved in the violence, whoever stormed the presidential residence, will be held accountable before the law," he said.
MIA Announces 13 More Arrests Over October 4 Events
The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) stated that in connection with the October 4 events in Tbilisi, they have identified 15 people involved in criminal activity, of whom 13 have been arrested under charges including organizing group violence and calling for the violent overthrow of the constitutional order. Two suspects remain at large.
Deputy Minister Alexander Darakhvelidze also revealed that during a separate, related operation, an individual named S.F. was arrested after a search of his Batumi residence uncovered a large hidden cache containing ammunition, magazines, gas masks, helmets, radio equipment, and approximately 150 SIM cards. S.F. faces up to six years in prison for the unlawful acquisition and storage of firearms and ammunition.
These 13 arrests are in addition to the five high-profile opposition figures - Paata Burchuladze, Murtaz Zodelava, Irakli Nadiradze, Lasha Beridze, and Paata Manjgaladze - who were previously detained and formally charged, facing up to nine years in prison for their alleged roles in the unrest.
The October 4 events, which saw violent clashes between police and demonstrators attempting to enter the presidential residence, the Orbeliani Palace, occurred on the day of local elections.
