Georgia's United National Movement to boycott parliamentary meetings

Georgia's opposition United National Movement is going to boycott parliamentary meetings in protest at the recent arrest of the party's Secretary General, former prime minister Vano Merabishvili.

One of the party's leaders, Georgy Gabashvili, says the party will not take part in the parliament's work until Merabishvili is free.

The former head of the cabinet was arrested recently on charges of corruption. He is now also accused of abuse of power. The country's president, leader of the United National Movement party Mikheil Saakashvili, says the arrest was an act of political persecution.