Nika Melia, one of the leader of the opposition Coalition for Change, was arrested on 29 May, his lawyer confirmed, APA reports citing Civil.ge.
This comes one day before his scheduled court hearing regarding charges related to refusing to testify before Georgian Dream’s parliamentary commission. Tbilisi City Court had previously set bail in the case to be paid by May 30.
Melia’s lawyer, Giorgi Kondakhashvili, told TV Pirveli that the arrest is “absolutely incomprehensible” as the police lacked grounds for detention. He said that the deadline for paying bail does not expire until midnight on May 29 and that the Court had not issued a decision to change Melia’s preventive measures. According to Kondakhashvili, police stopped Melia’s vehicle and “arrested him by force.” He is reportedly being held at the Dighomi pre-trial detention facility.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs later confirmed to Civil.ge that Melia was detained under Article 173 of the Administrative Offenses Code, which pertains to verbal abuse or other insulting actions against police officers.
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