Alexi (Buka) Petriashvili, former State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration in 2012-2014 in the ruling Georgian Dream government was detained by police during the protest rally against the Foreign Agents law on April 28, MIA has confirmed to news outlet Publika. He’s been detained on administrative charges, under the Art. 166 (petty hooliganism) and Art. 173 (resisting the police). Aleksi Petriashvili is currently a Senior Fellow at the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies (Rondeli Foundation).
The rally against the Foreign Agents Law, which the ruling Georgian Dream is expected to pass in the second reading this week, continues in front of the Georgian Parliament. The rally began at 19:00 in Republic Square, with protesters later marching down Rustaveli Avenue to the Parliament building. Police has used pepper spray against the protesters. Some of the protesters demanded access to the stage installed by the Georgian Dream for its April 29 rally in support of the bill, which led to some scuffles. Several more people reportedly have been detained, which is not yet confirmed by the Interior Ministry.
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