At least 2 dead, 90 arrested in Georgia anti-government protests

[News_Editor]

At least 2 dead, 90 arrested in Georgia anti-government protests

2011-05-26 21:34:54 GMT+7 (ICT)

TBILISI, GEORGIA (BNO NEWS) -- At least two people were killed and about 90 more arrested when riots erupted after a protest was violently cracked down, the Civil Georgia news agency reported on Thursday.

Anti-government protests continued for a sixth day in the former Soviet state demanding the resignation of President Mikheil Saakashvili. Hundreds of activists gathered on Wednesday outside the Georgian Parliament.

Security forces dispersed the protest rally using teargas, rubber bullets and water cannons. The riot police arrived to the scene at about midnight. At least 19 police officers were wounded as well as dozens of protesters but no official data has been released.

Two individuals were killed; one of them was a law agent. The civilian, a 54-year-old man, allegedly died after being hit by a vehicle of a convoy carrying protests leaders which the left the venue at high speed when the crackdown on the protest began.

The other fatal victim was a police officer who was also hit by one of the vehicles which was fleeing Freedom Square, approximately 300 meters from the Parliament building where the protest was staged.

"So there are two deaths. As of now 37 people remain in hospital, including eight policemen, 28 civilians and one journalist," said Shota Utiashvili, head of information for the Interior Ministry.

Utiashvili added that more than 90 people were detained but no leaders were among them. The arrested protesters were sentenced to an administrative punishment of up to two months in prison over charges of resisting arrest.

The demonstration was organized by former parliamentary speaker Nino Burjanadze who also rejected the Georgian authorities'' request to relocate the rally. He was allegedly removed from the scene in the motorcade that hit at least two people.

Many ambulances were rushed to the site as many people were injured due to the rubber bullets and other projectiles from non-lethal weapons. Local human rights groups said that police used excessive and disproportionate force against protesters.

The demonstrations began on Saturday when an estimated 10,000 people rallied in central Tbilisi. On Sunday, clashes broke out between protesters and Georgian security forces. The unrest has been named as the "Silver Revolution."

Saakashvili was elected president in a landslide victory in 2004 after the Rose Revolution, but his popularity has decreased due to a series of corruption scandals in 2007 and the destructive 2008 war with Russia.

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