TBILISI, December 30 – A court case against two senior figures linked to Georgia’s former ruling party moved slowly forward in Tbilisi on Tuesday, as defense complaints over delays were echoed by concerns raised by the country’s Public Defender.
Proceedings are under way at Tbilisi City Court against Levan Khabeishvili, political council chairman of the United National Movement, and opposition politician Murtaz Zodelava. Only Khabeishvili appeared in court on December 30, after penitentiary authorities said Zodelava refused to attend the hearing.
Prosecutors accuse Khabeishvili of promising a bribe to a public official and of publicly calling for the overthrow of state authority. The charges are based on Articles 339 and 317 of Georgia’s Criminal Code and relate to statements he made publicly earlier this year.
Zodelava faces a separate charge. Investigators allege he illegally interfered with the work of a State Security Service investigator by attempting to conceal Khabeishvili’s mobile phone during a court-authorized search. He is charged under Article 364, which carries a potential sentence of up to one year in prison.
At Tuesday’s hearing, Khabeishvili protested the repeated postponement of court sessions, saying the case has stalled for months without substantive review. He told the court he wants a swift ruling and argued that the prosecution is openly relying on his televised political statements rather than alleging covert criminal acts. He said it should be clarified whether public political speech can itself be treated as a criminal offense.
The case has also drawn attention from Georgia’s Public Defender. On December 23, Levan Ioseliani met with Khabeishvili’s family members and his lawyer to discuss visitation rights and to hear concerns related to the case. According to the Public Defender’s office, the defense plans to submit case materials to the watchdog.
