Tbilisi City Court Judge Nino Galustashvili has sentenced Giorgi Vashadze, leader of Strategy Aghmashenebeli, to 7 months in prison for defying a summons by the so-called investigative commission in the Georgian Dream parliament. Vashadze is also barred from holding public office for 2 years.
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Giorgi Vashadze was not present at the court hearing. He was awaiting the verdict at his party's office. After the verdict was announced, representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs arrived and arrested him.
"Our imprisonment is nothing compared to the injustice happening in the country. There is total injustice, young people in prison, women in prison, but the main thing is that we continue the fight. I am sure we will celebrate victory much sooner than many can imagine. I address Ivanishvili: You are the enemy of this country! You are a person who wants to imprison not me and others, but the whole country – you won't succeed!" Vashadze stated before his arrest.
Other opposition politicians, including Georgia's 5th President Salome Zourabishvili, arrived at the Strategy Aghmashenebeli office to express solidarity.
"Such a thing is unimaginable in a country that belongs to Europe, is moving towards Europe, and will undoubtedly go towards Europe, in this space where there are such violations of human rights and articles of the constitution. I think the European Court for Human Rights will soon be unable to keep up with the lawsuits filed from here. I could never have imagined we would reach this point when I came to this country," said Salome Zourabichvili.
"This is how oligarchy is defeated. We have seen a lot of debate and criticism in the opposition, but the fact is that today the pro-Western opposition is fighting at the cost of their freedom. Giorgi is an example of this today. We must show the system that we are not afraid. I want to promise Giorgi that we will do everything to achieve unity. Today is no place for internal political squabbles. Unity is the only answer that Nika, Nika, Zura, Badri, Mamuka, and now Giorgi deserve," stated Elene Khoshtaria, one of the leaders of the Coalition For Change.
Georgian Dream established the so-called temporary investigative commission in a one-party Parliament on February 5. Its stated purpose is to investigate the activities of the United National Movement (UNM) government and its officials from 2003 to 2012. Tea Tsulukiani chairs the so-called investigative commission. Georgian Dream aims to ban the UNM and other opposition parties that have not recognized the results of the October 26, 2024, parliamentary elections, refused their mandates, and demand new elections.
For failing to appear at the so-called investigative commission session, former Minister of Defense Irakli Okruashvili, and Coalition For Change leaders Nika Melia and Nika Gvaramia were arrested under Article 349 of the Criminal Code (Non-compliance with a request of the provisional investigative commission of the Parliament of Georgia).
Lelo - Strong Georgia leaders Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze were sentenced to 8 months in prison, and Coalition For Change leader Zurab Japaridze to 7 months.
Givi Targamadze, a member of the United National Movement, is also charged under the same article.
