International media reports about the storming of the HQ of United National Movement (UNM) by the Georgian police early this morning to arrest Nika Melia, chairman of the main opposition party.
According to Euronews, Police used tear gas as Melia's supporters attempted to barricade the door of the room where the opposition figure was sheltering. Dozens of opposition supporters were also arrested.
Deutche Welle reports, that the raid and arrest of the opposition leader was a backward movement in terms of democracy.
France24 reports, that the arrest of top opposition leader by Georgian police will deepen political crisis. On Thursday, Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia resigned over ruling party Georgian Dream's plans to arrest Melia. In the wake of Gakharia's resignation, the opposition called for snap parliamentary polls.
According to Reuters, Gakharia, who stepped down on Feb. 18, said his decision had been prompted by a disagreement with his own team over the order to detain Melia. A court in the capital Tbilisi ordered last week that he be taken into custody for allegedly failing to post bail. The Interior Ministry at the time announced it was postponing carrying out the order to detain Melia following the resignation of Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia.
