Former Georgian Defense Minister Jailed for Calling for the Overthrow of the Ivanishvili Government

The Tbilisi City Court found former Georgian Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaia guilty of publicly calling for the violent alteration of the constitutional order and sentenced him to two years and six months in prison.

According to Georgian media reports, Akhalaia was not present when the verdict was announced and did not exercise his right to make a final statement.

The criminal case stemmed from a remark the former minister made during a court hearing: "I believe that Bidzina Ivanishvili and his government must be overthrown." Investigators classified these words as a public call for the violent overthrow of the government.

Bacho Akhalaia was a member of the team surrounding Georgia's third president, Mikheil Saakashvili, serving at various times as Minister of Defense, Minister of Internal Affairs, and Minister of Corrections. After the "Georgian Dream" party came to power, several criminal cases were opened against him. He is currently facing charges in other cases as well, including a case involving the organization of group violence.

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