A rally in support of anti-Namakhvani protester Irakli Mukbaniani is underway at Patrol Police Imereti Division in Kutaisi city of western Georgia.

Opponents of the HPP construction as well as Mukbaniani’s family members and relatives believe Mukbaniani’s detention is a government-staged provocation.

One of the protesters, Varlam Goletiani pledges not to allow anyone to arrest an innocent person.

“The case will be trialed tomorrow. Many people as possible should come at the court,” Goletiani stated.

Mukbaniani was detained in Sakulia village in the Imereti region of Georgia for assaulting a police officer during a demonstration a couple of days ago.

“The accused person attacked and physically assaulted a police officer on duty during a protest rally against the construction of the Namakhvani hydropower plant in the village of Gumati, Tskaltubo Municipality. During the arrest of I.M., local residents offered resistance to the police officers after which the police used coercive measures in accordance with the law,” the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) said.

The committed crime envisages from 4 to 7 years of imprisonment.

The protests against the HPP construction have been underway in western Georgia for almost six months. The Georgian government suspended the HPP construction for 9 to 12 months until the environmental, geological, and seismological surveys are reviewed. Nevertheless, local protesters plan to continue rallies. They believe the HPP would be constructed anyway, which they oppose.