TBILISI, December 4 – Supporters of jailed opposition politician Levan Khabeishvili rallied outside Georgia’s State Security Service in Tbilisi on Thursday, accusing the authorities of holding him behind bars because of his political comments.
Some were activists from the United National Movement (UNM), others, family members and friends. They were gathered to protest what they describe as a political imprisonment, chanting “Freedom and solidarity for Khabe.”
Today marks the 85th day since Khabeishvili was taken into custody. Organizers of the rally said he is being punished for speech, not actions. They argue that “for the first time in independent Georgia,” a politician has been jailed because of his remarks.
Speaking to the crowd, Khabeishvili’s friend Mariam Dolidze delivered an impassioned address. According to her, he is being held in isolation, with no access to phone calls or visits. She recalled how Khabeishvili was beaten in 2024 during protests against the so-called foreign agents law and that “no one has been questioned” regarding his mistreatment. Dolidze said he was arrested on September 11 because of “a political statement.”
Her speech also repeated a number of corruption accusations the opposition has directed at senior government officials. She argued that Khabeishvili spent more than a decade criticizing what he saw as abuses of power and that his treatment now reflects that antagonism.
Prosecutors allege that Khabeishvili promised bribes to in return for loyalty of police employees in connection with the local elections on October 4 – a period during which he has openly called on people to stage a revolution. But Khabeishvili’s attorney countered that his client’s statements were campaign promises about how to spend budget money in case of an election victory, and that such statements are protected by law.
