WARSAW, 25 September 2012 – OSCE PA President Riccardo Migliori issued the following statement today regarding arrests of Georgian opposition figures and civil society activists in the lead-up to the country's parliamentary elections on 1 October.

"With less than one week to the important parliamentary elections in Georgia, I am very concerned with recent reports by media and civil society groups of numerous arrests of activists associated with the opposition. Having recently been to Tbilisi, I appreciate the importance of these elections, and am hopeful that calm will prevail for the rest of the campaign period and thereafter. I urge all actors to ensure that this is the case.

"Arrests and charges that would take political activists out of play during an election period must be taken seriously. An election is an opportunity for a great dialogue and must take place in a respectful manner. I urge the authorities to exercise due restraint particularly during this sensitive time; any actions that may give an impression of imbalance would be of grave concern."