Prepared by Messenger Staff
Zourabichvili: Political Repressions Signal Weakness, Not Strength
Georgia's fifth President, Salome Zourabichvili, called the recent sentencing of opposition leaders Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze a sign of political weakness, stating that such repressions mark "the beginning of the end" for Georgian Dream.
Speaking to journalists at the headquarters of Lelo Strong Georgia, Zourabichvili voiced strong support for the detained leaders, who were each sentenced to eight months in prison and barred from holding public office for two years. The court ruling came after both were found guilty of refusing to comply with a parliamentary temporary investigative commission.
"Politically, such repressions are always a sign of weakness; this is the beginning of the end," said Zourabichvili. "We must all remain resolute, as Mamuka and Badri are. We spoke at length together, and they are full of determination, as they will continue to be."
Zourabichvili emphasized that the country is at a turning point, claiming the current regime cannot be saved. She urged society to show solidarity with political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, calling their actions a fight for Georgia's future.
"This regime has reached the stage where nothing can save it. We will have a plan; our response to repression will be our collective plan, and you will have full information about it when the time comes," she said.
Zourabichvili also stressed the importance of timing, pointing to key international events happening this week, including the NATO session and the upcoming European Council meeting. She plans to make further statements alongside international partners to ensure Georgia's situation remains visible on the global stage.
"This is the moment when our issue must not be forgotten by anyone," she said.
Mzia Amaghlobeli to Judge: "Act According to Your Conscience" Amid Claims of Political Pressure
Mzia Amaghlobeli, founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti, who is on trial for allegedly slapping Batumi Police Chief Irakli Dgebuadze during a protest, addressed the court with a pointed message to Judge Nino Sakhelashvili, urging her to act according to conscience rather than political pressure.
Speaking during the hearing, Amaghlobeli voiced support for others who have been detained under similar circumstances, calling them prisoners of conscience.
"To tell the truth, this is all just a formality," Amaghlobeli said. "From one hearing to the next, developments in the country unfold in such a way that it's not even about my imprisonment anymore. Students are being arrested every day for the very same reason I am in custody. Even a single mother was detained."
She warned that she expects a prison sentence, possibly harsher than the one handed to activist Mate Devidze, not due to guilt but because of the pressure placed on the judiciary.
"Honestly, I'm expecting a sentence - probably even longer than what Mate Devidze received - not because I deserve it, but because you are under such political pressure," she told the judge.
Amaghlobeli expressed hope that Judge Sakhelashvili would resist external influence.
"I don't believe you became a judge to serve the regime and the oligarch's power. Act according to what your conscience tells you," she said.
