TBILISI, May 1 – A court hearing was held in Tbilisi on Friday in the case of opposition politician Levan Khabeishvili, who is accused of promising a bribe to officials and publicly calling for the overthrow of state power.
Khabeishvili, chairman of the political council of the United National Movement (UNM), was present at the hearing. The case also involves former Prosecutor General Murtaz Zodelava, who is accused of obstructing the investigation, but Interpressnews reported that only Khabeishvili attended Friday’s session.
Prosecutors say Khabeishvili promised money to officials to make them act in his favor or refrain from carrying out their duties. He is also charged under a Criminal Code article covering public calls to overthrow state power.
Zodelava is accused of illegally interfering with the work of a State Security Service investigator and trying to hide Khabeishvili’s mobile phone, which investigators had a court order to seize. The offense carries a possible prison sentence of up to one year.
At Friday’s hearing, State Security Service investigator Shakro Kharshiladze said it did not matter whether Khabeishvili used the word “peaceful” before the word “overthrow.”
“Whether he said ‘peaceful’ before overthrow or not does not matter. This is a punishable act. There is no peaceful overthrow, just as there is no peaceful robbery,” Kharshiladze said.
Another State Security Service employee, Giorgi Tsverava, testified that Khabeishvili had publicly appealed to members of a law enforcement unit and promised them USD 200,000 so they would not use violence against protesters. Tsverava said his report became the basis for opening the investigation.
Khabeishvili used the hearing to attack the government over fuel prices, healthcare and infrastructure, accusing wealthy business figures and officials of profiting while ordinary people suffer. He also addressed the opposition, urging its members to take care of one another and avoid public infighting.
“Khabeishvili is not a criminal and a danger to society, even a small child knows this,” he said.
The case comes as UNM also renewed accusations over Khabeishvili’s beating on April 30, 2024. Party representative Mariam Dolidze named several suspected perpetrators and called on Georgia’s prosecutor general to react immediately.
