Two oppositionists convicted in case on failure to appear at Georgian parliamentary commission
In Tbilisi, a court sentenced opposition politicians Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Djaparidze to eight months of imprisonment. Thus, the number of those convicted for failing to appear when summoned by the parliamentary investigative commission has grown to three.
Court hearings on similar cases against Mamuka Khazaradze, a spokesperson for the leaders of the “Strong Georgia” opposition coalition and the “Lelo” Party, and Badri Djaparidze, one of the leaders of the “Lelo” Party, were also scheduled for June 23.
The Tbilisi City Court found Badri Djaparidze guilty of failing to appear at a meeting of the parliamentary investigative commission and sentenced him to eight months of imprisonment. The court also deprived Badri Djaparidze of the right to hold office for two years. The defendant did attend the court hearing, as he stayed at the “Lelo” Party’s office. Earlier, Badri Djaparidze paid the bail chosen as a pre-trial restriction measure, the “InterPressNews” reports.
Earlier, on June 23, same Judge Zviad Sharadze issued an identical sentence to Mamuka Khazaradze. The defendant also did not attend the court hearing when the verdict against him was announced and did not exercise his right to the final speech in court.
The shameful spectacle has ended like that, but the struggle has not been completed.
Mamuka Khazaradze, who stayed at the “Lelo” Party’s office when the verdict was announced, commented on the court’s decision. “The shameful spectacle has ended like that, but the struggle has not been completed. This is very important. Let no one think that because of my arrest (and, most likely, Badri Japaridze will be given the same sentence) any of us will betray the struggle. This is impossible! Wherever we are, in a prison cell or at large, this struggle will be continued,” the “InterPressNews” quoted the oppositionist as stating.
An appeal against the Mamuka Khazaradze’s sentence will be lodged to the court of appeal, an oppositionist’s advocate reports. “We will wait for the reasoning part of the verdict, and an appeal will definitely be filed against the verdict. [A sentence of] six months is the minimum term under the law, up to a year of imprisonment is provided for by the article, and the judge chose the middle option. The verdict will be challenged,” the “TV Pirveli” Channel quotes on its website the Mamuka Khazaradze’s advocate as emphasizing.
After the court hearings, Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Djaparidze were detained near the “Strong Georgia” opposition coalition’s office, handcuffed, and placed to a police wagon. “Fire the oligarchs, and the ‘Russian’ regime of Bidzina [Ivanishvili] will soon fall,” Mamuka Khazaradze said before getting into the police wagon. In his turn, Badri Djaparidze claimed that “Georgia would win.”
Supporters of the oppositionists gathered in front of the “Strong Georgia” opposition coalition’s office. After the arrest of the political opponents of the “Georgian Dream” Party, they were chanting: “Shame!”, the “TV Pirveli” Channel reported on its website.
This was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 23, 2025 at 05:53 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.