The Royal Opera House in London has urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to intervene in the case of Paata Burchuladze, a world-renowned Georgian bass singer jailed for seven years after participating in anti-government protests.
Burchuladze, 71, was arrested in October after joining demonstrations against the country's ruling party, Georgian Dream, which is led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili. He was sentenced last week on charges of leading a coup, which he and supporters say are fabricated.
In a letter to Starmer, Royal Opera casting director Peter Katona described Burchuladze as a 'dear friend' and said he was being persecuted for his critical stance against the regime. Katona added that the singer had performed at the Royal Opera House since 1984 and was being considered for future roles.
Burchuladze, a former UN and Unicef goodwill ambassador, became a rallying figure at nightly protests last autumn, often singing to crowds from a flatbed truck. He was detained alongside nine others accused of organising violence against the government.
The Foreign Office said it is monitoring the situation and will raise the importance of safeguarding detainees' rights. The Royal Opera has not yet received a response from Downing Street.
