Georgia 'Pro-Russia Victory' Recognizes General Election Effect...a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests

Anti-government protests have intensified amid controversy over fraudulent elections, although Georgia's judiciary has acknowledged the validity of a general election won by a pro-Russian ruling party.

Protests intensified after Georgia's prime minister announced he would suspend the EU membership process, and the international community voiced concern as authorities countered with a hardline crackdown.

Georgia's Constitutional Court on Oct. 27 rejected President Salome Juravishvili's lawsuit that the general election was held unfairly due to the involvement of Russia and other outside forces.

The ruling party's "Georgia's Dream," which pursues a pro-Russian line, judged that the general election won was valid.

Independent pro-Western President Zarubishvili has filed a lawsuit to nullify the election and rejected the results of the general election, based on international election watchdogs pointing out that various irregularities were revealed in the last general election.

Georgia's last president to be elected in a direct election, his term ends this month.With

Georgia's Dream'' already named its party leader, Prime Minister Irakli Kovahidze, as prime minister for a second term, the Constitutional Court's decision virtually confirmed Kovahidze, who holds most of the real power as chief executive.

However, as Prime Minister Kovahidze announced on the 29th of last month that he would not discuss EU membership at all within his term, public opposition has not subsided.

Hundreds of protesters were arrested and police used tear gas and water cannons to crack down hard on protesters amid six days of anti-government protests in the capital, Tbilisi and other places.

"The use of unnecessary or disproportionate force against protesters is very concerning," U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Falker Türk said in a statement.

Reuters said Nika Gbaramia, the leader of Georgia's opposition United Change Party, was arrested by police.

The United Change Party claimed that Gbaramia was taken into a vehicle and taken away, unconscious and collapsed after being beaten by police.