Zurab Japaridze, presidential candidate and Leader of Girchi Party followed the police officers voluntarily – says the statement released by Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA).

According to MIA, carrying out of investigation activities towards Japaridze became necessary that was impossible at the site due to the number of gathered people.

Zurab Japaridze was detained at Dedaena (Mother Tongue) Garden in Tbilisi. The political party was holding a “festival” to celebrate the legalization of cannabis. Several other persons were also detained during the activity.

Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia (MIA) said that the recent announcement of the political union Girchi about the planned “festival” to celebrate the legalization of cannabis is “crime-encouraging for the citizens to participate in illegal activities and engage in an unlawful activity.”

“Based on the recent statements of Girchi, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has already launched an investigation under the 2nd and 8th Paragraphs of 2731 Article of the Criminal Code of Georgia on illegal possession, use, trade of marijuana or cannabis,” read the statement of MIA.