Former Georgian Minister for European Integration arrested during rally in Georgia

Alex Petriashvili, former Georgian Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, has been arrested during a rally of thousands of people in the centre of Tbilisi against the draft law on "foreign agents", which is sharply criticised in the West.

According to Ekho Kavkaza (Echo of the Caucasus), a Radio Liberty project, the Formula TV company showed footage of Petriashvili’s arrest.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that he was detained under Articles 166 and 173 of the Administrative Code (disorderly conduct and disobedience to police).

Before that, the participants in the rally, which took place near the Georgian parliament building, tried to demolish the temporary fences located near the legislative body, which escalated the situation.

Petriashvili was the Georgian State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration from October 2012 to November 2014.

On the evening of 28 April, a demonstration of thousands of people took place in Tbilisi against the draft law on "foreign agents" which threatens Georgia's European integration, with clashes with police.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Georgian parliament, in response to US criticism of the law on transparency of foreign influence, actually accused the United States of "financing radicalisation and disinformation" through grant support to Georgian NGOs. 

Prior to this, a bipartisan group of the US Senate sent a letter to the Georgian Prime Minister on 26 April warning that if the newly introduced draft law on "foreign agents" becomes law, they would be forced to seek a change in US policy towards Georgia.

The second reading of the draft law On Transparency of Foreign Influence is scheduled for 29 April.

The ruling Georgian Dream party has invited its supporters to a rally on that day.