The Prosecutor General's Office of Georgia issued a statement rejecting claims that former Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaia was convicted for calling for the overthrow of Bidzina Ivanishvili. According to the agency, the conviction stems from public calls to overthrow the state government and forcibly alter the constitutional order.

The agency maintains that published reports claiming Akhalaia was convicted for calling for Ivanishvili's overthrow do not reflect the facts of the case.

According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the charges were based on statements Akhalaia made on February 16, 2026, during a preliminary court hearing.

"This government must be overthrown as quickly and brutally as possible. In any form and by any means. This is the only way, and each of us—myself, you, and any other person—has the legitimate right to do this, while the most conscientious among us have a duty to carry it out," the prosecutor's statement reads. The agency asserts that this specific quote formed the basis of the charges.

The Prosecutor General's Office states that these remarks were classified under Article 317 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which covers liability for public calls to overthrow the state government and forcibly alter the constitutional order.

On July 6, the Tbilisi City Court found Akhalaia guilty and sentenced him to two and a half years in prison.

Meanwhile, cases involving social media posts continue to be heard in Georgia. Notably, courts have begun imposing fines for offensive Facebook posts directed at Bera Ivanishvili—the son of Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder of the "Georgian Dream" party.

At least two such rulings have already entered into legal force. According to Georgian media reports, the number of such proceedings has increased since June 1, when a new department was established within the Ministry of Internal Affairs to combat so-called hate speech online.