Lawyers Accuse Penitentiary Service of Discrediting Elisashvili
By Liza Mchedlidze
Thursday, January 15, 2026
Lawyers for opposition politician Aleko Elisashvili, leader of the Citizens party, have accused Georgia's Special Penitentiary Service of attempting to discredit their client and misrepresent his statements during trial. Elisashvili is currently in pretrial detention on charges of attempting to commit a terrorist act.
"The Special Penitentiary Service has disseminated incorrect interpretations of statements made by opposition leader Aleksandre Elisashvili during the trial," said his lawyers, Archil Chopikashvili and Giorgi Rekhviashvili. "The statement is most likely aimed at discrediting the prisoner and taking the case in the wrong direction."
The defense says Elisashvili has repeatedly explained in court that he was subjected to inhumane treatment after his arrest. "He was deliberately handcuffed tightly behind his back for several hours, causing bleeding, while a policeman watched. He developed wounds on his hands that are still visible today," the lawyers said. They noted that no one has been held accountable for these alleged abuses.
The lawyers also criticized the Penitentiary Service for releasing a statement questioning Elisashvili's claims about access to personal hygiene items. "The statement does not concern the main issues but rather claims that Elisashvili has personal items. This ignores that he was denied basic necessities for a month after his arrest," the lawyers said.
Elisashvili has been held in the high-security Penitentiary Institution No. 6, while his lawyers say similar accused politicians are placed in less strict facilities. The defense requested a transfer to a less strict institution, but the court denied the request. Under a prosecutor's decree, Elisashvili is also prohibited from phone communication.
"The improper and illegal treatment of the accused, combined with the dissemination of inaccurate information, deepens the perception that he is a victim of political persecution," the lawyers said. They urged the Penitentiary Service and other officials to refrain from releasing unverified statements about Elisashvili, who remains isolated and without written justification for his detention conditions.
The Penitentiary Service responded, saying Elisashvili is held in Institution No. 6 "in full compliance with the requirements of the legislation and freely enjoys all the rights granted to him." The agency also disputed his claim about being denied hygiene items, calling it false.
