Prepared by Messenger Staff
Seismologist Tea Godoladze Leaves Georgia After Facing Charges and Alleging Political Persecution
Tea Godoladze, Director of Georgia's National Seismic Monitoring Center, has left the country, citing fears for her safety and accusations of a politically motivated campaign against her. Speaking to Mtis Ambebi just hours before her departure, Godoladze addressed the charges of domestic violence brought against her under Article 126 of the Criminal Code, which she denies, labeling them part of a "black campaign" to tarnish her reputation and silence her.
The accusations stem from a complaint filed by Godoladze's former partner, who alleged that she had been violent towards a family member. Godoladze, however, maintains that she is the real victim of physical violence in the relationship.
According to the women's rights organization Safari, Godoladze's former partner had previously been convicted of violence against her. The Tbilisi City Court issued a guilty verdict on June 7, 2024. However, in December 2024, the Tbilisi Court of Appeal overturned the conviction, a decision that Godoladze believes paved the way for her own prosecution.
"There is already a real danger that I will not be able to return to the country under this regime," Godoladze told Mtis Ambebi. She added, "I have thought about staying and fighting until the end, even going to prison, but I cannot change much by sitting in prison. I will continue to fight from the outside."
Godoladze has been an outspoken critic of Georgian Dream party's environmental and urban development policies.
Public Defender Faces Backlash Over Disclosure of Shelter Address
Public Defender Levan Ioseliani has dismissed the controversy surrounding his recent statement as "absolutely artificial." The backlash came after he disclosed the address of a shelter for victims of violence during an interview with Public Broadcaster, sparking sharp criticism from various individuals and organizations.
Former Deputy Public Defender Ekaterine Skhiladze and other concerned citizens criticized Ioseliani for revealing sensitive information, emphasizing that such details are kept confidential to protect the safety of victims. They demanded the immediate removal of the interviews from both the Public Broadcaster and the Public Defender's platforms.
Following hours of public outcry, the interviews were eventually deleted. Ioseliani maintains that his remarks caused no harm. Speaking to Public Broadcaster, he said: "It's good that they have started talking about shelters because I've been raising awareness about this issue for a long time. No one paid attention to the problems in shelters."
He refuted allegations that he disclosed sensitive information, asserting, "It's as if I disseminated someone's personal information-such a thing never happened. The rest is a matter of interpretation. I cannot answer everyone's interpretation. I did not reveal any location. This outcry is absolutely artificial."
