Ruling party Sec-Gen defends arrest of opposition leaders, citing ‘rule of law’, ‘responsibility of politicians’

Kakha Kaladze, the ruling Georgian Dream party Secretary General and Mayor of Tbilisi, has defended the recent arrest of several opposition leaders, insisting that no one was above the law and that politicians, in particular, must be held to a higher standard of accountability.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Kaladze said the state was “simply responding in accordance with the law” after opposition leaders failed to comply with a summons from a parliamentary investigative commission probing alleged crimes under the previous United National Movement government. 

"We all know very well why these people are detained. They violated the law by refusing to appear before the parliamentary investigation commission," Kaladze said.

"According to legislation, there are specific consequences in such cases. The status of being a politician does not grant immunity. On the contrary, politicians have a greater responsibility to society."

His remarks came after the Tbilisi City Court sentenced Giorgi Vashadze, leader of the opposition party Strategy Agmashenebeli, to seven months in prison. Zurab Japaridze, from the Coalition for Change, received the same sentence, while Lelo party leaders Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze were sentenced to eight months each. The court ruled that the four had repeatedly refused to testify before the parliamentary commission.

Prior to the verdict, both Khazaradze and Japaridze had paid bail of 50,000 GEL each as a preventive measure.

Kaladze also dismissed opposition claims that the arrests were politically motivated, saying the opposition’s refusal to acknowledge the authority of the parliament was irrelevant.

"It doesn’t matter what they recognize or don’t recognize. What matters is what the people of this country recognize," he said. "The majority of the population supported the Georgian Dream [in the 2024 parliamentary vote]. As for this small radical group, they are completely dependent on foreign patrons."

The mayor also addressed questions about controversial legislative proposals that would restrict media access to courtrooms - a move that has been criticized by civil society groups and press freedom advocates.

Kaladze claimed that in recent years, journalists and activists had “deliberately created provocations” in courtrooms.

"We've seen circus-like behavior in courtrooms," Kaladze said.
"That's why we want to make a decision similar to those in many European countries and the United States, where court hearings are closed to the media."

When asked why the government felt the change was necessary, he replied “It's not for us - it's for the country, so courtrooms don’t become a place of spectacle.”