The leader of Georgia’s main opposition party was arrested in a police raid on Tuesday and placed in pretrial detention amid deepening political turmoil in the South Caucasus country that threatens to plunge the region’s only democracy into crisis.
The arrest of Nika Melia, the leader of the United National Movement, drew thousands of protesters into the streets of the capital, Tbilisi, demanding his release and provoked a rift within the ruling party. Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia resigned last week amid a debate within the party over enforcing an arrest warrant for Melia, who allegedly violated bail conditions related to a case against him that he says is politically motivated.
