TBILISI (Reuters) – Two Georgian opposition leaders were arrested by courts in the South Caucasus on Friday, amid a crackdown on pro-European Union groups who supported protests against the government’s freezing of negotiations membership of the EU.

Protests against the EU membership freeze were set to continue on Friday, with the ruling Georgian Dream party saying it was an attempt at revolution.

Another opposition figure, Aleko Elisashvili, of the Strong Georgia party, was placed in pre-trial detention for two months. Prosecutors accused him of assaulting a politician from the ruling Georgian Dream party, an allegation he denied.

Georgian media reported that Elisashvili was arrested on Wednesday evening and transferred to hospital from pre-trial detention, having been beaten during his arrest. Reuters could not independently confirm that he had been beaten.

Eight other opposition activists arrested in recent days were charged Friday with crimes related to “gang violence,” punishable by prison terms of up to nine years, local media reported.

(Reporting by Felix Light; editing by Andrew Osborn)

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