Police use pepper spray to disperse opposition activists rallying at court

Georgian law enforcement have used pepper spray and arrested several opposition activists during a clash at Tbilisi City Court where former president Mikheil Saakashvili is attending a trial hearing concerning him. The opposition activists allegedly threw bottles to the police which caused the clash. 

The Georgian Interior Ministry has called on the opposition to act in accordance with the law. Otherwise, they have warned of the use of all ‘legal measures’ to ensure the peaceful conduct of the trial. 

The trial hearing today concerns the illegal dispersal of the opposition rally back in 2007, while Saakashvili was in power. 

Saakashvili was not allowed to attend  previous three trial hearings in cases concerning him because of possible provocations by the opposition activists and his health condition during hunger strike.

However, after Saakashvili called off his hunger strike on November 19, the Special Penitentiary Service transported him to attend a trial in own case earlier today.