Lawyers for imprisoned opposition leader Elene Khoshtaria report her health has deteriorated significantly in prison, warning that inadequate treatment could cause irreversible harm. Authorities insist she is receiving proper medical care.
Concerns intensified on June 17 when Khoshtaria’s lawyer, Shota Tutberidze, and Droa’s executive secretary, Giga Lemonjava, reported a significant decline in her health over the past four months.
Tutberidze said Khoshtaria suffers from severe joint pain, mobility issues, and recurring movement restrictions, sometimes preventing her from writing and forcing her to use a walking stick. He alleges prison authorities have failed to provide systematic treatment.
“Elene Khoshtaria has been unlawfully imprisoned for ten months. Four months ago, her health began to deteriorate noticeably. During each visit, we observe symptoms that may indicate a serious and alarming condition,” Tutberidze said.
Tutberidze noted that Khoshtaria initially did not want her health issues publicized but decided to speak out after concluding that prison administrators were not paying sufficient attention to her case.
He added that two weeks ago, lawyers requested a treatment plan and a meeting with penitentiary officials, but have received no response—an absence he says demonstrates the authorities’ indifference to their legal obligations.
Tutberidze also noted that Khoshtaria’s treating doctors in Turkey reviewed her records and warned that without proper treatment, her condition could worsen and potentially become irreversible—possibly leaving her unable to walk unaided. Their recommendations were sent to the prison medical service two months ago.
The Special Penitentiary Service denied the allegations, accusing Tutberidze of spreading misinformation. Officials said most of Khoshtaria’s diagnoses predate her imprisonment and are chronic conditions with periodic flare-ups.
Authorities said Khoshtaria has been examined by multiple specialists and undergone various tests, including MRI scans, and is receiving care in line with clinical guidelines. The Penitentiary Service states there has been no deterioration in her health.
Khoshtaria’s political party, Droa, rejected the agency’s response, arguing that authorities failed to respond to requests for a treatment plan or proper consultations. They emphasized that while the illnesses predated her arrest, the problem is a lack of systematic care for these chronic conditions.
Tamar Oniani, chair of Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), argues that the state remains responsible for Khoshtaria’s health, regardless of when her illnesses began. Oniani said this actually strengthens the argument that her imprisonment is disproportionate.
“Where health risks are foreseeable, any deterioration in custody is attributable to the state,” Oniani wrote. “The Penitentiary Service’s claim that Khoshtaria’s health problems are chronic and predated her imprisonment does not justify her treatment. If anything, it strengthens the argument that her imprisonment is disproportionate.”
She described Khoshtaria as a political prisoner, arguing her detention stems from political expression and that less severe alternatives to imprisonment were available.
After news of her health became public, Khoshtaria addressed supporters in a short letter from Rustavi Women’s Prison, thanking them for their solidarity but urging them not to worry about her.
“In the fight against the Russians, I am prepared for far more than this.
Needless to say, I have no intention of engaging in any discussions with Russia’s illegitimate institutions, proving anything to them, or, even more so, asking them for anything. They can do whatever they want.
Pain is bearable; evil is not.
I am neither the first nor the last to face this, but I promise them one thing: I will not let a single unlawful act go unanswered, and they will pay the price.
“I can’t run, but I can fight,” she wrote.
Elene Khoshtaria, leader of the opposition party Droa and mother of four, has been imprisoned since September 2025 for writing an inscription on an election banner for Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze.
She was charged with damaging property after writing “Russian Dream” on the banner. Prosecutors estimated the damage at GEL 570. The court set bail at GEL 5,000, which Khoshtaria refused to pay, choosing to remain in custody in protest.
She was later sentenced to 18 months in prison.
In March 2026, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for the immediate release of Khoshtaria and other political prisoners in Georgia, describing the charges as politically motivated and linked to freedom of expression.
Another Georgian Opposition Leader, Elene Khoshtaria, Arrested Over Protest Act
