Court Acquits Political Prisoner Giorgi Akhobadze
Tbilisi City Court Judge Romeo Tkeshelashvili has acquitted Giorgi Akhobadze, a doctor previously accused of drug-related crimes. Akhobadze was detained by police on December 7 while returning home from a protest. He was charged under Article 260, Part 6 of the Criminal Code, which concerns the illegal purchase and possession of large quantities of narcotic drugs.
The charge carried a potential sentence of 8 to 20 years, or life imprisonment.
Akhobadze’s defense argued the arrest was unlawful, pointing to the lack of required video evidence or a neutral witness during the search. They also challenged the police report, noting Akhobadze saw at least six officers present, contradicting claims of limited resources. The defense raised concerns of evidence tampering, as expert analysis found Akhobadze’s saliva on the drug packaging—possibly the result of officers forcibly collecting it to fabricate a link. Ask ChatGPT
Journalist Mzia Amaglobeli Sentenced to Two Years in Prison in Politically Charged Case
Batumi City Court Judge Nino Nameshvili has sentenced journalist Mzia Amaglobeli — founder and director of Batumelebi and Netgazeti — to two years in prison, in a verdict widely criticised as politically motivated.
Amaglobeli was originally charged under Article 353 Prima of the Criminal Code, which covers assault on a police officer and carries a penalty of four to seven years in prison. However, the court requalified the charges under Article 353, Part 1, imposing a reduced two-year sentence.
The case stems from Amaglobeli’s participation in a January 11 protest in Batumi, where he was initially detained and released, only to be re-arrested the following day under criminal law. Authorities alleged that he slapped police officer Irakli Dgebuadze — an accusation his lawyers argue is incompatible with the facts and serves only to mask a political agenda.
While in prison, Amaglobeli’s health severely deteriorated, with his eyesight reduced to 30% in the right eye and 0.04% in the left. He staged a 38-day hunger strike in protest; on the 24th day, he was transferred to a clinic and returned to prison only after ending the strike.
The Prosecutor’s Office offered a plea bargain, which Amaglobeli firmly rejected. In his final statement to the court, he called the offer “like death” for him:
“No, and I will not sign it, for the simple reason that what happened was not an attack, and presenting and packaging a slap as an attack is evil. I will not evade responsibility, unlike Dgebuadze. The law contains an adequate article for a ‘slap.’”
Amaglobeli and his defence team have repeatedly stated that Dgebuadze subjected him to repeated verbal abuse and humiliation after his arrest, including spitting in his face.
For months, both local and international NGOs, as well as diplomats from various European embassies, have attended his hearings, calling on the Georgian government to drop the charges and release him immediately. International human rights organisations have condemned the case as another example of the Georgian authorities’ use of the judiciary to silence dissent.
Russia Places Aleko Elisashvili on International Wanted List
The Prosecutor General’s Office of Russia has placed Georgian politician Aleko Elisashvili on an international wanted list, accusing him of participating as a mercenary in the war in Ukraine.
According to Russian authorities, Elisashvili has been charged under Part 3 of Article 359 of the Russian Criminal Code, which criminalises the participation of mercenaries in armed conflicts. They claim that in March 2022, Elisashvili fought in Ukraine as a member of the Georgian Legion.
Russian prosecutors allege that he took part in combat operations, including the battle for the city of Irpin in the Kyiv region. In April 2022, Elisashvili reportedly left Ukraine and returned to Georgia.
A Russian court has already sentenced him to prison in absentia.
So-Called Parliamentary Investigative Commission “Unanimously” Adopts Politically Charged Conclusion
The parliamentary commission, chaired by Tea Tsulukiani, widely viewed as a political tool of the ruling Georgian Dream party, has “unanimously” adopted its draft conclusion. The 430-page document targets “the activities of the regime in force in 2003–2012, political officials of this regime, and current and former officials united in political parties from 2003 to the present.”
The commission’s mandate expires on August 5, after which the conclusion will be sent to the Bureau of Parliament. According to Tsulukiani, the Bureau will decide when to schedule a presentation, expected in early September, followed by a plenary discussion.
Critics have denounced the commission as an instrument of political persecution. Several prominent opposition leaders have been jailed for refusing to appear before it, including three leaders of the Coalition for Change( Ahkali) — Nika Melia, Nika Gvaramia, and Zurab Japaridze – as well as Lelo leaders Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, and Strategy Agmashenebeli leader Giorgi Vashadze. Also imprisoned are former Minister of Defence Irakli Okruashvili and former Parliamentary Defence and Security Committee Chairman Givi Targamadze.
The Commission’s controversial proceedings have drawn international attention. Notably, its members were extradited from Estonia on July 19, underscoring the politically charged nature of the body’s work.