On December 25, former Georgian Defense Minister Bacho (Bachana) Akhalaia, who served a nine-year prison sentence under the “Georgian Dream” government, was arrested again. The State Security Service (SSSG) says the investigative authorities consider him the “main organizer” of the October 4 events.
Akhalaia has previously told the media that he even feels embarrassed by having absolutely no involvement in, or connection to, the organization of the October 4 protest.
The State Security Service’s Allegations
According to the SSSG briefing, it was established that from an IP address at Akhalaia’s residence, specific individual(s) systematically contacted people whom the investigation considers organizers of the October 4 events: Paata Manjgaladze, Murtaz Zodelava, Lasha Beridze, Irakli Nadiradze, and Paata Burchuladze.
The SSSG also stated that these contacts occurred via internet applications on October 4, when the protesters were being informed from the stage about plans related to the Presidential Palace, as well as during the events unfolding at the palace.
What was discussed over these online communications? – The SSSG did not provide any details about the content.
The SSSG also detained Akhalaia’s wife, Ani Nadareishvili, but she was later released, and legal action against her does not appear to be planned for now.
According to the SSSG, Bacho Akhalaia refused to give testimony.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, former minister has been charged under Article 225, Part 1 of the Criminal Code – organizing and leading group violence – which carries a penalty of up to nine years in prison.
What Akhalaia’s Wife, Ani Nadareishvili, Recalls
On December 26, in an interview with TV Piveli, Ani Nadareishvili recalled the details of Bacho Akhalaia’s arrest. According to her, about 30 masked and armed law enforcement officers stormed their home. She said that before the raid, an SSSG investigator contacted her by phone and summoned her, along with her husband, Bacho Akhalaia, and relative Zviad Gagua, for questioning. She told the investigator that they would testify before a magistrate judge.
As Nadareishvili recalled, a few hours later, the raid began. She was not allowed to go live on social media and was told that her personal mobile phone was considered evidence and was seized by the investigators. Nadareishvili said she was told she was also considered detained. Later, she learned from Zviad Gagua that investigators had asked him to testify against Bacho Akhalaia and name him as an organizer of the October 4 protest, offering to release Ani Nadareishvili in exchange.
According to Ani Nadareishvili, about three weeks ago, Bacho Akhalaia had planned to return to Poland, where he and his family had been living in exile, but he was not allowed to leave the country:
“Bacho planned to return to Poland a few weeks ago. We had gone there in exile to make ends meet. Everything is in the bank, and we have a huge debt. Here, as you know, no one employs us, and we cannot find jobs. However at the border, he was not allowed to pass. They turned him back,” Nadareishvili told TV Pirveli.
Consequently, according to Nadareishvili, Bacho Akhalaia had anticipated his arrest.
She does not deny that Akhalaia communicated with the protest organizers but says that the information published by the SSSG is absurd.
“We communicate with everyone… We never said we didn’t know people. Some are relatives, family friends, and so on. The claim that he contacted Paata Manjgaladze 29 times, etc., is complete nonsense. They haven’t even identified who lived in the house – yesterday, they even thought my daughter Keso was my granddaughter. Imagine that – this is the State Security Service. They haven’t identified Bacho’s phone. Yesterday, they called me to summon us, and Bacho was summoned through my phone,” Nadareishvili said. “I don’t know… This is their distraction, trying to divert attention from something, from the scandal they are involved in. They are ready to do anything to cover up something,” – she added.
Responding to the possibility that the investigation might try to link Bacho Akhalaia with Grigol Liluashvili, Ani Nadareishvili said they do not know Liluashvili:
“Folks, these are Russians! They are our enemies! We are not collaborators. We do not communicate with the enemy,” Nadareishvili said.
The Defense Lawyer’s Position
Bacho Akhalaia’s lawyer, Malkhaz Velijanashvili, told TV Pervi that there is “absolutely no evidence” in the case against Akhalaia.
“I’ve seen many cases where fabricated evidence was presented or where a witness had a vested interest, but a case with absolutely no evidence – this is the first one for me,” he said.
According to Velijanashvili, even if it were proven that Akhalaia called Paata Burchuladze or Murtaz Zodelava on October 4, that fact alone proves nothing, because the investigation has no evidence of what was actually discussed.
He stated that it is legally impossible to determine the content of the communications, since the alleged conversations had already taken place when the investigation started. Wiretapping would have required a proper warrant. Velijanashvili said the investigators “likely hope to find some messages or evidence on the confiscated phones” and devices, but in his view, “there is nothing on the seized phones.”
Akhalaia’s lawyer emphasized that the mere fact of communication proves nothing, especially considering that Akhalaia knows some of the named individuals personally and has various family or other connections with them. Furthermore, without knowing the content of the communications, it is meaningless to speak of any crime:
“Maybe he was saying the opposite: ‘Don’t do it?’ You don’t know that.”
Like Akhalaia’s wife, Velijanashvili confirmed that his client had tried to leave the country, but the border police did not allow him to do so:
“You probably know that Bacho returned for a family member’s funeral. Later, due to certain issues and following Georgian traditions, his departure from Georgia was delayed, and then October 4 and his questioning coincided. According to my information, he planned to leave soon after, but refrained from giving the impression that he was fleeing. He waited several months for the investigation, and, as I understand it, in mid-December, he attempted to leave the country again for work abroad. But he was not allowed through the border. This, naturally, raised suspicions that something was being planned against him, and that was also Ani’s view – that there was an expectation that something would be fabricated against him.”
Who is Bacho Akhalaia
Bacho Akhalaia is a former high-ranking Georgian official and politician, considered one of the most influential yet controversial figures during Mikheil Saakashvili’s presidency.
Akhalaia’s career advanced after the “Rose Revolution.” He initially worked in the Ombudsman’s office, serving as deputy ombudsman. He then became the head of the Penitentiary Department (2005–2008). His name is associated with combating the influence of “thieves in law” in prisons and establishing a strict prison regime. However, it was during this period that allegations of inhumane treatment of prisoners also began.
Following this, he was appointed Minister of Defense (2009–2012), a position he held for three years. In 2012, he briefly served as Minister of Internal Affairs, resigning in September 2012 amid the so-called “prison torture footage” scandal, just days before the parliamentary elections.
Opposition parties and human rights organizations frequently accused Akhalaia of excessive use of force, torture, and gross violations of human rights. He was viewed as one of the leaders of the “law enforcement” wing of Saakashvili’s team.
After the change of government in 2012, Akhalaia returned to Georgia (he had been briefly abroad) and was subsequently arrested. Several criminal cases were brought against him, resulting in convictions on multiple charges. He was ultimately sentenced to nine years in prison, which he served in full.
In March 2022, Bacho Akhalaia was released from the penitentiary system.
His name resurfaced in the public spotlight a few months ago following the events of October 4, when he was again summoned for questioning about an audio recording circulating on social media. Akhalaia denied its authenticity, claiming it was 100% fake.
