UNM leader Khabeishvili raises questions over investigation into former Adjara leader's shooting incident

Levan Khabeishvili, Chairman of the political council of Georgia's opposition party, United National Movement, has expressed concerns over the ongoing investigation into the shooting incident involving Tornike Rizhvadze, the former Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara.

Rijvadze sustained a gunshot wound to the chest in Sagarejo, a town in eastern Georgia's Kakheti region, in July. He was initially treated at a local hospital before being transferred to a clinic in Tbilisi and later airlifted to Istanbul for further medical care . The Ministry of Internal Affairs initiated an investigation under Article 115 of the Georgian Criminal Code, which pertains to incitement to suicide 

Khabeishvili on Friday questioned the “lack of transparency and progress” in the investigation, highlighting several unresolved issues.

He noted that, despite over 50 days having passed since the incident, there had been no public release of the forensic examination results. He emphasized the importance of understanding whether the shooting was self-inflicted or if another party was involved.

The opposition leader further raised concerns about the identities of individuals present at the location during the incident. He specifically inquired about alleged involvement of current head of the State Security Service Mamuka Mdinaradze and Interior Minister Geka Geladze, suggesting that their presence had not been officially clarified by the authorities.

Khabeishvili also questioned why security camera footage from the area had not been made public, which could potentially shed light on the events surrounding the shooting.

Aleksi Akhvlediani, the director of the Georgian Maritime Transport Agency, was detained and later released on bail in connection with the incident for "negligent storage of a firearm" . Khabeishvili expressed concern over Akhvlediani's continued freedom, suggesting that he may be cooperating with authorities in exchange for leniency.