Thursday, October 22, 2026

Plea talks for two opposition figures jailed for October 4 protest

TBILISI, October 6 – Two opposition figures serving seven-year prison terms for the October 4, 2025 unrest in downtown Tbilisi have asked prosecutors for plea agreements. Murtaz Zodelava and Lasha Beridze raised the issue during a hearing in the Appeals Court on Monday. Another convicted defendant in the same case, Guri Zhvania, has also requested … Read more

Paata Burchuladze publishes prison letter on anniversary of October 4 rally

TBILISI, October 4 – Georgian opera singer Paata Burchuladze, imprisoned over the events of October 4, 2025, has published a letter from prison marking one year since the protest that led to his arrest. In the letter, reported by Interpressnews, Burchuladze republishes the declaration adopted at what organizers called a “National Assembly” during the October … Read more

Zodelava health scare sparks dispute among Georgian opposition

TBILISI, July 17 – Jailed Georgian opposition politician Murtaz Zodelava was transferred to Vivamedi clinic this week after health complaints, triggering a public dispute over whether he had suffered a stroke in prison. Zodelava is a former prosecutor general and an opposition politician convicted in the October 4 case. He is serving a seven-year sentence … Read more

Khabeishvili appears in Tbilisi court in state overthrow case

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 … Read more

Tbilisi court hears conflicting testimony in ‘October 4’ trial

TBILISI, February 5 – A Tbilisi court on Thursday heard sharply contrasting accounts of the October 4 rally outside the presidential palace, as prosecutors, defense lawyers and witnesses clashed over what happened. Out of a total of 64 people facing criminal charges over events that day, today’s hearing involved ten defendants, including opposition politicians Paata … Read more

October protest organizers defend actions in Tbilisi courtroom

TBILISI, January 15 – A group of prominent Georgian opposition figures appeared in court in Tbilisi on Thursday as hearings continued into events that unfolded near the Atoneli Palace during a mass protest on October 4. The case is being heard at Tbilisi City Court and involves Paata Burchuladze, Mur­taz Zodelava, Irakli Nadiradze, Paata Manjgaladze, … Read more

Georgian opposition leader demands faster trial

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 … Read more

Georgia court hears October 4 “storming” case

TBILISI, December 18 – Georgian prosecutors on Thursday, December 18, leaned on a long, continuous video recording as a key piece of evidence in court proceedings tied to the events of October 4 in Tbilisi. In the October 4 case, prosecutor Tamar Bezhuashvili said the state has reviewed an “approximately 8-hour continuous video” that, she … Read more

Opposition figure tells court October 4 was ‘peaceful overthrow’

TBILISI, November 26 – At a hearing on Wednesday, Paata Burchuladze, a well-known opera singer turned opposition figure, told the court that the October 4 rally he helped lead in central Tbilisi was a “peaceful overthrow” carried out by the people, not an attempt at a violent coup as prosecutors claim. Burchuladze is on trial … Read more

22 now held after ‘attempted coup’ in Georgia

TBILISI, October 8 – Georgia’s Interior Ministry announced Wednesday that four more people have been arrested in connection with the violent unrest that erupted in Tbilisi on October 4, bringing the total number of detainees to 22. Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze told reporters that the arrests were made under court orders as part of … Read more