Five Austrian MEPs Demand Immediate Release of Paata Burchuladze

Five Austrian members of the European Parliament demand the immediate and unconditional release of Georgian opera singer Paata Burchuladze. The statement is signed by Helmut Brandstätter, Anna Stürgkh, Reinhold Lopatka, Lukas Mandl and Andreas Schieder.

According to the MEPs, Burchuladze, a world-renowned Georgian bass and former UN Goodwill Ambassador, was arrested on politically motivated charges.

"Paata Burchuladze is not only an outstanding singer, but also a patriot and a person who fights for democracy, who stood up to defend Georgia's European future. That is precisely why the Ivanishvili regime put him in prison and turned him into a political prisoner," the statement says.

According to the MEPs, the Georgian Dream government is following the example of Putin and Lukashenko: it brutally cracks down on peaceful demonstrators, beats journalists and plans to ban opposition parties.

The signatories, together with Burchuladze, demand the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners in Georgia. They call on the government to stop persecuting the opposition, civil society and independent media, and to return Georgia to the democratic and European path.

"The European Parliament will continue to support the Georgian people, who have shown exceptional courage in defending democracy," the MEPs say.