“I serve neither the West, nor the East, nor the North, nor the South,” imprisoned former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili writes in his sixth letter since speaking out against his former political allies, as he pushes back against the narratives that have emerged around his accusations and the subsequent investigation. In the letter, Garibashvili again …
Tag Archives: Georgian Dream
Letter Five: Garibashvili Names Kobakhidze and Raises Questions Over Several Suicides Under His Government
Imprisoned former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has issued his fifth public letter from prison, this time addressing Mamuka Mdinaradze’s resignation and accusing Mdinaradze and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of causing “grave and irreparable damage” to the country, its people, and the Georgian Dream party. Garibashvili also returns to the claims outlined in his first letter, …
Mdinaradze Resigns and Leaves Politics After the Week of Controversial Garibashvili Letters
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Minister of Regional Development, has announced his resignation and said he is leaving politics, following the week of controversial letters from imprisoned former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, in which Mdinaradze was named. He made the announcement at a briefing at the Government Administration. “I have decided to leave my position and, essentially, …
“Let the People Judge”: Garibashvili Rejects Court Proceedings as “Political Farce”
Former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has released another letter from prison, saying he sees no point in attending court hearings because he considers the latest criminal case against him to be a political process. Garibashvili describes the proceedings against him as a political farce and says that, at this point, his only path forward and …
11–15 Years in Prison: Garibashvili Hit With New Charges After Claiming He Was Blackmailed to Rule Out His Return to Politics
Former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has been charged with a new offence — bribe-taking (a) by a public political official (b) in large quantities (c) with a group of persons with preliminary agreement. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, former Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze cooperated with the investigation into his case. The article of the Criminal …
Garibashvili’s Third Letter: Allegations Against “a Group Within the Team” and a Loyalty Ballad to Ivanishvili
Former Prime Minister and former Georgian Dream party chair Irakli Garibashvili, who is currently imprisoned, has issued his third letter this week, claiming that he was blackmailed into admitting to new corruption charges in an effort to eliminate “even a 1% chance” of his returning to politics. Even after three letters, it remains unclear what …
“They Are Leaving Me No Choice but to Fight” – Garibashvili’s New Letter From Prison
On August 18, former Georgian Dream leader and former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has issued another statement, which he announced yesterday. Garibashvili says that the letter published yesterday was sent to him in July by one of Georgian Dream’s leaders, Mamuka Mdinaradze. According to Garibashvili, the main aim of the “fight against corruption” campaign was …
Garibashvili Says He Was Offered Deal to Take Responsibility for New Corruption Case, Holds Ivanishvili Responsible for His and His Family’s Safety
Former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, who is currently in prison, says that he received a letter in prison, allegedly sent on the instructions of Bidzina Ivanishvili, offering him a deal to take responsibility for a new corruption case. Garibashvili considers the demand a humiliating and degrading act and appears to be preparing to reject it. …
Rewriting 2008
As Georgia commemorates the 18th anniversary of the August 2008 war, the ruling party is reviving Kremlin-style narratives — blaming the former government for Russia’s invasion and branding its critics as “Russophobes.” On August 7, 2008, Russian forces crossed Georgia’s internationally recognized border, launching a full-scale invasion that killed hundreds, displaced tens of thousands, and …
‘He Got Roughed Up and Stopped Bothering Us’: Adjara Deputy Culture Minister on Confrontation with a Citizen
In Adjara, Georgian Dream’s Deputy Minister of Culture, Zaur Akhvlediani, has confirmed to Batumelebi that he had a verbal [and, according to one version of events, physical] confrontation with a citizen during an event at the Adjara Art Museum. Earlier, it was reported that Zaur Akhvlediani was physically attacked in a public space and sustained …
Georgian Dream Supporter and MMA Fighter Announces Movement to Defend ‘Traditional Values’
Georgian MMA fighter Giorgi Kartvelishvili has announced the creation of what he calls a new “public movement”, saying it will defend Georgian traditions, religion and national values against what he described as “foreign-funded individuals and groups in slavish obedience to foreign interests and driven by a distorted ideology.” Kartvelishvili has publicly expressed support for the …
Lawyer Fined 4,000 GEL Over MP Post Comment | Social Media Speech Cases Expand in Georgia
Lawyer Shota Tutberidze was first issued an administrative offence report by Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and was later fined 4,000 GEL by Judge Davit Makaridze over a comment he posted under a social media post by Georgian Dream Parliament member Nino Tsilosani. The fine was imposed under Article 173¹⁶ of Georgia’s Code of Administrative …
Kobakhidze Holds Special Briefing on Georgia-China Ties, Calls Them a Model of “Equal Partnership”
On June 10, Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze held a special press briefing to announce the elevation of Georgia–China relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership — a move that was announced yesterday, on the 34th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and Georgia. On June 9, Chinese …
Scheme Long Linked by Batumelebi to Pre-Election Mobilisation Now Admitted as “Fictitious Employment” by Kobakhidze
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze acknowledged that the social employment programme paying 300 lari per month was, in reality, fictitious employment and did not address unemployment. “The reduction in employment is entirely formal and has one specific reason: there was a programme replacing social assistance, and 30,000 people can be said to had been …
Switzerland to Require Visas for Georgian Diplomatic and Official Passport Holders Starting April 3
Starting April 3, 2026 holders of Georgian diplomatic, official, or service passports will require a visa to enter Switzerland. The decision was made by the Swiss Federal Council at its meeting on April 1. Although Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, it has aligned itself with a decision taken by Brussels on …
Davit Gabaidze Resigns as Chair of Adjara Supreme Council
Davit Gabaidze has resigned from his position as Chair of the Georgian Dream’s Supreme Council of Adjara. He announced this himself at a briefing held today, March 30. According to our information, Tsotne Ananidze is expected to take over his post. He currently serves as Chair of the Human Rights Protection Committee in the Supreme …
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Georgian Dream Passes Sweeping Changes to ‘Grant Law’ and Criminalizes Non-Recognition of State Institutions
Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, has passed a restrictive legislative package that substantially broadens the definition of grants, criminalizes non-recognition of constitutional bodies, and imposes new restrictions on civil society, political engagement, and public expression. The new law defines a grant as any monetary or in-kind resource—from specified sources—that is used or potentially used to …
Nine Pro-Western Parties Form United Opposition Alliance in Georgia
The alliance, announced on March 2, brings together United National Movement, Akhali, Droa, Girchi – More Freedom, Freedom Square, Strategy Aghmashenebeli, Federalists, National Democratic Party, and European Georgia. According to a joint statement, the parties have agreed on a unified strategy for victory and clear rules for cooperation. The alliance’s stated goals are to end …
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Georgian Dream Condoles Iran Over Deaths of Leaders and Citizens, Israel Over Civilian Victims — Silent on U.S. Casualties
On the third day after the launch of US–Israel strikes on the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Georgian Dream government issued a statement expressing condolences to the Iranian people and the Islamic Republic for the deaths of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, other political leaders, “innocent civilians, and dozens of children”. The statement also extended condolences to …
Georgian Dream Joins Islamic Revolution Anniversary Celebration, Pledges “Continued Cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran”
Amid ongoing international criticism of Iran’s human rights record, Georgian Dream attended a celebration of the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tbilisi, with representatives from the Foreign Ministry speaking on behalf of the Georgian government and pledging to deepen cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The reception was held at the Paragraph Hotel …
Georgian Dream Unveils Sweeping Crackdown on Foreign Funding and Political Activity
The ruling Georgian Dream party has introduced a sweeping new legislative package tightening restrictions on foreign funding, political activity, and public engagement for organizations and individuals in Georgia. On January 28, Georgian Dream’s parliamentary majority convened at the party’s Gorgasali office, with party chair Irakli Kobakhidze present. After the meeting, majority leader Irakli Kirtskhalia presented …
Georgian Dream Seeks Retraction and Apology From BBC Over Chemical Weapons Report
“Georgian Dream” has filed an official complaint with the BBC. The announcement was made by Shalva Papuashvili, Speaker of Parliament of Georgian Dream. According to him, the complaint was submitted to the BBC yesterday, on January 14. On December 1, the BBC published an investigative report alleging that chemical weapons dating back to World War …
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Ivanishvili’s 13 Steps to Undermine Democracy in Georgia
Here are several key events from 2025 that illustrate how Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream systematically undermined democracy in Georgia, consolidated authoritarian rule, and pushed the country closer to Russia. Although Ivanishvili’s government now prohibits even standing on the sidewalk—threatening imprisonment for those who defy the ban—pro-European protesters have persisted in the streets for over a year. …
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Sanctioned Justice: 44 Judges Targeted for Georgian Dream’s Crackdown in 2025
As in previous years, Western countries imposed sanctions in 2025 on dozens of Georgian Dream representatives and allies. Among those sanctioned were judges who, through their roles in the party’s repressive measures, presided over both criminal and administrative cases against protest participants. In total, 47 judges have been sanctioned by Western countries in recent years. …
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From Protest to Punishment: Georgian Dream’s 2025 War on Expression
Amid ongoing protest rallies, Georgian Dream spent the year intensifying efforts to suppress dissent by enacting laws that restrict freedom of expression. The party’s crackdown began in late 2024, when, on December 13, it criminalized several actions that had never previously been considered offenses. Protesters were banned from covering their faces and carrying lasers, while …
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Dream vs. Dream: 10 Major Cases Against Former Officials in 2025
In 2025, internal power struggles within Georgian Dream escalated, resulting in the criminal prosecution of several high-ranking former officials, including a former prime minister and the former head of the State Security Service. While most of these officials face corruption charges, the former chief prosecutor stands accused of ordering a murder. In addition to targeting …
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What Happens to the Body After Camite Exposure? — A Doctor Explains
“No gas should ever be mixed into a water cannon. Any solvent is neurotoxic, regardless of what it dissolves, and it can affect the central nervous system. Mixing a solvent with a water jet creates a perilous precedent,” says narcologist Zurab Sikhuralidze. We spoke with him about the chemical substances mentioned in the BBC investigative …
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Camite: What We Did—and Did Not—Learn About the Substance Mixed into Water Cannons
On December 1, the BBC World Service published an investigative report alleging that Georgian police forces targeted demonstrators with chemical weapons dating back to World War I during last year’s anti-government protests. Georgian Dream denies the BBC’s information and claims that no banned substance was used; however, to this day, they have not specified exactly …
Interview with a Doctor Whose Study on Chemical Exposure During Georgia’s Protests Was Featured in the BBC Investigation
On December 1, the BBC World Service released a documentary indicating that the Georgian authorities likely used a toxic chemical compound called against protesters during the first week of the pro-European demonstrations. According to the BBC investigation, the compound is Camite—a substance last used during World War I. The report highlights the ongoing protests that …
Ivanishvili-Affiliated Speaker Calls U.S. Vice President JD Vance a “Deep State” Representative
Zaza Shatirishvili, a speaker affiliated with Bidzina Ivanishvili — a Russia-enriched oligarch and Georgia’s strongman — is calling U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance a representative of the “deep state.” His letter was disseminated by the Georgian Dream propaganda mouthpiece Imedi TV. The statement issued under Shatirishvili’s name is built entirely around conspiracy theory rhetoric. In …
“I Thought of Hanging Myself in My Robe on the Court Building” – Former Supreme Court Judge Speaks About Pressure
Besarion Alavidze, a former Supreme Court judge now residing abroad, has publicly accused Georgia’s ruling elite, including Bidzina Ivanishvili and the Murusidze-Chinchaladze group, of exerting pressure, issuing threats, and interfering in high-profile court cases. In a video recorded earlier but recently made public, Alavidze discusses previously unknown instances of pressure on judges. Former Supreme Court …
‘Treacherous Betrayal,’ ‘Agents,’ and ‘External Enemies’ – Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Letter with Anti-Western Messages
Bidzina Ivanishvili has issued a letter on the 13th anniversary of the Georgian Dream victory in the 2012 elections. “Another test awaits us on October 4,” he writes in the letter, which contains numerous anti-Western messages similar to statements made by his team members. At the same time, Ivanishvili mentions “external enemies” and “agents.” He …