Suspect detained in murder that caused riots in city of Akhalkalaki, Georgia
In the predominantly Armenian-inhabited city of Akhalkalaki in Georgia, the main suspect in a murder case which caused riots in the city on August 8 has been detained.
According to police, the detained 37-year-old local resident is accused of illegal acquisition, possession and carrying of firearms and committing premeditated murder. If convicted, he may face seven to 15 years in prison. An investigation has also been launched into the organisation of mass riots and group vandalism.
Riots in Akhalkalaki
Fighting and arson broke out in the centre of the city of Akhalkalaki in Georgia (Samtskhe-Javakheti region) on the evening of August 8, 2020, after a 27-year-old man was killed by a gunshot wound during a mass brawl.
According to preliminary reports, another participant in the fight is in the hospital.
According to the Javakheti Information Center, the deceased was from the village of Kulikam. Soon a large group of his fellow villagers arrived in Akhalkalaki.
First they broke into the Artsek hotel, broke the doors and windows and set it on fire. The attackers say that the hotel belongs to the father of the individual whom they accuse of having murdered the 27-year-old man; he is assumed to have fled the city.
Four more private houses were set on fire, which, presumably, are related to the family.
The centre of Akhalkalaki was surrounded by police squads, and the city is being patrolled by special forces.
• 25 photos from Javakheti, Georgia: villages, lakes and birds
