The Tbilisi City Court has remanded Giorgi Baramidze, a leader of the opposition United National Movement, in custody. The politician has been charged under Articles 307¹ ("high treason") and 318 ("sabotage") of the Criminal Code of Georgia. He faces up to four years in prison.

Baramidze was detained at his apartment on the evening of September 11. The criminal case was initiated following remarks he made during a July episode of Yago Khvichia’s program, *The Birth of Georgia*, regarding the 1992–1993 war in Abkhazia and the exchange of prisoners.
When asked why the Georgian side in Sukhumi lacked enough prisoners for an exchange, Baramidze stated that Georgian fighters had "shot" captured enemy combatants. He attributed this to the emotional state of individuals who had lost loved ones. He noted that "Russian discipline" prevailed on the opposing side, which is why they maintained a pool of prisoners available for exchange.

Baramidze later claimed his words had been taken out of context. He maintained that he was referring to the actions of specific individuals during the war's initial weeks—when state structures were still being formed—rather than accusing the Georgian army or the state of war crimes. During the court hearing, the politician also stated that he was not referring to military personnel.

The Prosecutor's Office, however, asserts that the investigation found no evidence of prisoners being shot by Georgian military personnel or other conflict participants. The agency described Baramidze’s statements as "baseless and fabricated," declaring that they damage Georgia's state and national interests, defense capabilities, and international reputation. According to the prosecutor's office, their actions also disparaged the honor of war veterans and fallen servicemen and jeopardized the process of reconciliation with the population affected by the conflict.

Baramidze is a member of the National Movement’s political council. Under President Mikheil Saakashvili, he served as Minister of Internal Affairs and Minister of Defense, and held the post of Deputy Prime Minister from 2006 to 2012. He has been elected to parliament five times.

In February 2026, a Russian court sentenced Baramidze in absentia to six and a half years in a penal colony for participating in hostilities on Ukraine's side following the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. The UNM considers the criminal prosecution of the politician to be politically motivated.

The Georgian parliament reintroduced the article on high treason into the Criminal Code in the spring of 2025 at the initiative of the ruling Georgian Dream party. Article 307¹ is applied in conjunction with a specific criminal offense; in Baramidze’s case, this involves sabotage, as defined by Article 318.