ALDE: Zurab Japaridze Detained at Turkish Airport

The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) party reports that Zurab "Girchi" Japaridze, leader of the party "Girchi - More Freedom", which is a member of ALDE, was detained at an airport in Turkey. The organization says it is alarmed by this information.

According to ALDE, Japaridze's passport and luggage were taken from him, he was placed in a cell, and he will be returned to Georgia tomorrow.

As stated in the statement, Japaridze was traveling through Brussels in transit, where he had been invited and was due to take part in a summit of leaders of "Renew Europe".

"We regret that he will not be able to take part in the summit, and we express our disappointment that pressure continues on the activities and movement of opposition parties that strive for a pro-European and democratic future for their country," the ALDE statement reads.