TBILISI, September 13 – Levan Khabeishvili, chairman of the political council of the opposition United National Movement (UNM), has been formally charged in Georgia with promising bribes to officials and publicly calling for the overthrow of state authority.
His arrest has triggered sharp debate, with the opposition accusing the government of fear mongering ahead of a planned October 4 rally, while the ruling party insists the case is purely legal.
Khabeishvili was detained after offering money to police officers if they sided with protesters instead of the government. On July 25 he told supporters: “Two hundred thousand dollars will be given as a reward to everyone who simply does not fire a weapon.” Prosecutors say this amounts to promising bribes, punishable by four to seven years in prison.
Fellow UNM member Ana Tsitlidze responded after the arrest by pledging to double the sum, promising 400,000 dollars to any officer who refused to disperse citizens. Another opposition figure, Murtaz Zodelava, was also detained, accused of trying to hide Khabeishvili’s mobile phone during a police search and resisting officers.
Prosecutors are seeking pre-trial detention for Khabeishvili and bail for Zodelava.
Analysts are split. Professor Nika Chitadze of the International Black Sea University argued the case is political, saying the charges misrepresent Khabeishvili’s words and that “the government is afraid of October 4.” Analyst Ramaz Sakvarelidze countered that Khabeishvili’s statements required a state response, suggesting he had closer ties to sensitive processes than other opposition leaders.
UNM officials insist the ruling Georgian Dream party is using arrests to intimidate the opposition. Party member Levan Bezhashvili told reporters outside the State Security Service building that Khabeishvili “managed to frighten Ivanishvili’s regime” and called on supporters to show up in mass numbers on October 4.
Ruling party figures reject claims of political persecution. Tbilisi mayor and Georgian Dream secretary general Kakha Kaladze said that calls for government overthrow will not go unanswered: “Overthrow, coup, talk of burning and hanging people is punished by law.”
