Journalist Dito Chubinidze Arrested Over Davit Gareji Claims, Prosecutors Allege Sabotage
By Messenger Staff
Friday, October 23, 2026
Journalist Dito Chubinidze of the newspaper Asaval-Dasavali has been arrested and will face charges of high treason, including sabotage, over claims that Irakli Kobakhidze secretly handed part of the Davit Gareji monastery complex to Azerbaijan, the Prosecutor's Office announced on October 22.
Prosecutors allege that Chubinidze has spread disinformation since February 2026, falsely claiming that Kobakhidze transferred the disputed territory under a secret agreement with a neighboring state. The agency says no such agreement exists and argues that border decisions must follow a formal procedure involving the government's delimitation and demarcation commission. Chubinidze faces up to four years in prison.
The charges also concern Chubinidze's claims about the death of Lazare Jorbenadze, a commentator who made similar accusations against Kobakhidze in interviews with Asaval-Dasavali before dying in April. According to prosecutors, Chubinidze linked Jorbenadze's death to an alleged revenge killing intended to conceal damaging information about Kobakhidze. The Prosecutor's Office says its investigation established that Jorbenadze died by suicide.
The case has unfolded amid a separate controversy involving jailed former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili. Garibashvili previously claimed that former colleagues pressured him to leave politics and take responsibility in a corruption case. In an alleged letter published by Garibashvili, former Georgian Dream official Mamuka Mdinaradze reportedly criticized Chubinidze and conservative politician Irma Inashvili, accusing their activities and social media campaigns of damaging the ruling party.
Garibashvili later alleged that a copy of Asaval-Dasavali was sent to him in prison in February on the instructions of Kobakhidze and Mdinaradze. He said he was questioned about whether he had been behind Chubinidze's interview with Jorbenadze, which included accusations against Kobakhidze. Garibashvili subsequently raised questions about Jorbenadze's death, prompting authorities to question him, opposition figures and conservative politicians.
The dispute over Davit Gareji has long been politically sensitive. In 2020, Georgian Dream representatives accused the previous United National Movement government of giving historic territory to Azerbaijan. Those allegations were linked to the Cartographers' Case, which led to the arrest of two state experts.
The Prosecutor's Office maintains that Chubinidze deliberately spread false claims that undermined state institutions. The charges against the journalist have yet to be established in court.
