Georgian ombudsperson accuses Interior Ministry of provocations against opposition

26.04.09 18:53

Georgian Public Defender accuses the Interior Ministry of organizing provocations against the opposition. Sozar Subari demands that the facts of violence implemented on the rally members be immediately investigated. The ombudsmen presented two facts to media Sunday. He asserted balloons filled with water were thrown to the rally members from the Interior Ministry. Furthermore, an unknown person shot one of the rally members Tengiz Beridze from a pneumatic gun. The bullet lodged close to the eye in his face.

The ombudsman presented a video as evidence. He asserted the most dangerous thing is that those persons are occupying their positions even now, 12 hours later the incident. The opposition leaders were attending the briefing of the Public Defender as well.

Tents of protest all over the centre of Tbilisi

guys see this interesting article of civil.ge about the town cells of the people of Georgia:

Opposition activists and supporters, mainly those who have arrived from provinces in recent days, are keeping night vigil in over hundred improvised cells mushroomed on Rustaveli Avenue and Freedom Square.

Most of metal-framed boxes with ropes to imitate a prison cell are equipped with at least two mattresses and are coated with polyethylene to protect ‘inmates’ from rain.

Row of ‘cells’ on the Rustaveli Avenue starts immediately from outside the Tbilisi Marriott Hotel down towards the Parliament and then continues towards the Freedom Square, blocking traffic in the area and in nearby streets.

A space immediately in front of the Parliament and slightly beyond, of about couple of hundred meters in length, is left free of ‘cells’ leaving room for protesters, who are gathering there late in every afternoon.

Similar cells, but fewer in numbers are outside the government’s and Prime Minister’s office, close to the Parliament also blocking traffic on the adjacent small street; as well as outside the public TV headquarters, blocking traffic on key thoroughfare and at the presidential residence.

Opposition leaders, behind the ongoing protests, say that the campaign would continue unless President Saakashvili resigns. The authorities say dialogue is possible with the opposition on any major issues, except of the President’s resignation.

Most of the opposition leaders are striking an optimist tone in their routine speeches at the daily protests rallies saying that their struggle would accomplish “soon” and other saying – “in several days.”

Davit Usupashvili, leader of Republican Party, part of Alliance for Georgia, said in his extremely rare address to protesters late on April 24 that he is often asked by foreign journalists how close the opposition was to achieve its goal.

“But we are not asking this question: how close the goal is; because this is a goal, which needs to be achieved no matter how far it might be,” Usupashvili said.

http://civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=20789

New Report: Saakashvili escaped to Turkey

this article is from www.civil.ge  . while people protest on the streets of tbilisi the de facto president Saakashvili hides himself in Turkey:

Turkish Reports: Saakashvili in Turkish Resort Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 26 Apr.'09 / 15:35 President Saakashvili arrived in Turkey's seaside resort, Bodrum, on April 25 for a holiday, The Journal of Turkish Weekly reported.   MP Marika Verulashvili, a close associate of President Saakashvili, however, has strongly denied the report and told Civil.Ge on Sunday that the President was in Sofia participating in the energy summit and would return back to Tbilisi on April 26. The President’s press office was not available for comment. Energy summit in the Bulgarian capital was held on April 24-25.