Badri Japaridze says Lelo’s ‘bold municipal election stance’ was right response to youth arrests

The “Lelo – Strong Georgia” coalition was absolutely right to respond to youth arrests with firm conviction and a bold stance on municipal elections, according to Badri Japaridze, one of Lelo’s leaders, writing on Facebook.

Japaridze argues that Georgian Dream’s primary objective is to sow division among pro-Western political forces.

“The proliferation of political prisoners, including the detention of most political leaders, serves Georgian Dream’s core strategy – to make our citizens lose hope for positive change and abandon resistance, thereby allowing Georgian Dream to establish unchallenged single-party control over all institutions, governing bodies and every sphere of public life.

We stand ready to fight this unequal battle to defend their rights.

Georgian Dream also seeks to fragment pro-Western national political forces and provoke confrontation – precisely the calculated aim behind their recent statement issued by [President] Mikheil Kavelashvili.

We must counter any such Georgian Dream manoeuvre by uniting our efforts and standing together. Where unity proves impossible, we must at least respect each other’s positions.

Freedom for all political prisoners,” Japaridze concluded.