Georgia Opposition Suspends Protests Following Crackdown
By VOA News
08 November 2007
Georgia's opposition says it is suspending anti-government protests in Tbilisi, after President Mikhail Saakashvili declared a state of emergency and closed all independent news outlets.
Opposition leaders describe Thursday's move to end the protests as an attempt to avoid more violence, after nearly 600 protesters were injured in rioting Wednesday.
NATO has sharply criticized the Saakashvili government, saying the state of emergency and independent media crackdown are "not in line with Euro-Atlantic values." Europe's largest security organization (the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) called for dialogue based on democratic principles.
The United States, France and the Commonwealth also issued statements of concern, while Moscow denounced the Tbilisi government for expelling three Russian embassy staffers.
Georgia's opposition held six days of anti-government protests in the capital demanding the president's resignation. The opposition also is demanding early presidential and parliamentary elections and a curb on presidential powers.
During the state of emergency, only state-run television and radio will be allowed to broadcast news.
President Saakashvili has accused Russian special agents of stirring up trouble in Georgia. Russia calls the charges a provocation.
Mr. Saakashvili came to power in 2003 as the hero of the so-called Rose Revolution that peacefully toppled then-President Eduard Shevardnadze.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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