The Georgian Prosecutor’s Office intends to bring new charges against Aleko Elisashvili, a leader of the "Lelo – Strong Georgia" coalition. According to his lawyers, the politician is set to be charged with contempt of court. The formal presentation of charges is scheduled for July 31.
The defense states that the charges stem from remarks Elisashvili made during a court hearing. Lawyers claim the politician criticized police officers' testimony, labeling it false, and spoke harshly about a specific officer whom he accuses of brutality.
The "Lelo" coalition views this new case as a continuation of political pressure on the opposition leader. Irakli Kupradze, a senior figure in the alliance, noted that this is the fourth criminal case opened against Elisashvili, asserting that the proceedings constitute a political campaign rather than a genuine legal process.
He remarked that the charge of contempt of court is particularly telling given the current state of the judicial system itself.
"The fourth charge alleges that Aleko Elisashvili insulted the Georgian court. But I ask a simple question: who has truly insulted Georgian justice—if not Bidzina Ivanishvili, who handed over the judicial system and the administration of justice in the country to Levan Murusidze?" Kupradze declared.
The politician also highlighted Judge Levan Murusidze’s role in several high-profile cases, stating that the opposition links the crisis of confidence in the Georgian judiciary directly to him. In Kupradze’s view, under the current Prosecutor’s Office and courts, the cases against Elisashvili cannot be considered independent; he added that those who initiated them would eventually have to answer to an "independent court and non-politicized investigative bodies." The new accusation comes amidst ongoing pressure on the Georgian opposition. In recent months, criminal cases have been initiated against several opposition politicians, and opposition representatives—along with Georgia’s Western partners—have repeatedly stated that the judicial system is increasingly being used as a tool for political persecution. Notably, Nika Melia (a leader of the "Coalition for Change"), Giorgi Vashadze (leader of the "Strategy Aghmashenebeli" party), and former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili currently remain in custody. Nika Gvaramia, Zurab Japaridze, Mamuka Khazaradze, and Badri Japaridze were also previously convicted for refusing to appear before a parliamentary investigative commission, though they were subsequently released after serving their sentences or receiving a pardon.
