Wealthy Georgian businessman Badri Patarkatsishvili, a leading opponent of President Mikhail Saakashvili, has died suddenly in London, his aides said today.
British police said that "as with all unexpected deaths, it is being treated as suspicious". A postmortem will be held later to establish the cause of death, a police spokesman said.
Georgian public television reported that the flamboyant Mr Patarkatsishvili (52) had died of a heart attack but his colleagues in Tbilisi called for international experts to launch an inquiry.
Rati Shartava, a Tbilisi-based aide to Mr Patarkatsishvili, blamed legal charges brought by Mr Saakashvili's government against the businessman for his death, Russia's Interfax agency reported. "The state machine fought him and his heart gave in," Mr Shartava said.
Mr Patarkatsishvili a wealthy and prominent figure in his native Georgia, had been living in London since last year after Georgian authorities accused him of plotting a coup against the president and issued a warrant for his arrest.
Opposition leaders said the protests were triggered by anger at corruption and poverty in Georgia. Mr Patarkatsishvili accused Mr Saakashvili of pushing his country into dictatorship.
The businessman, who made his fortune in Russia during the 1990s, ran in Georgia's presidential election in January but did not return to campaign in his homeland for fear of arrest. He obtained seven per cent of the votes.