A criminal case has been opened against the leader of "Gakharia for Georgia!"; the party called the charges "absurd"

The Georgian Prosecutor's Office has brought charges against the leader of the "Gakharia for Georgia!" party and former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia. The criminal case against him concerns the events of June 20-21, 2019, near the parliament building in Tbilisi and the establishment of a checkpoint in the village of Chorchana.

According to Prosecutor General Giorgi Gvarakidze, Gakharia is accused of abuse of office and intentionally causing grievous bodily harm to more than two people. According to investigators, on the night of June 21, 2019, when a protest near the parliament building escalated into clashes, the then-Minister of Internal Affairs ordered the use of special means without warning or allowing peaceful participants to leave the area. As a result, dozens of citizens were injured, two lost an eye, and five suffered grievous bodily harm.

The second incident concerns the construction of a police post near the village of Chorchana in August 2019 without the consent of the Prime Minister, the Security Council, the State Security Service, and the EU mission. These actions, according to the prosecutor's office, provoked retaliatory measures by Tskhinvali's leaders, leading to the seizure of approximately 100 hectares of Georgian territory.

The investigation alleges that Gakharia intentionally abused his authority, thereby harming the interests of the state. He faces up to 13 years in prison. The prosecutor's office has filed a motion with the court to remand the politician in custody.

Tata Khvedeliani, a member of the Gakharia for Georgia party, commented on the prosecutor's decision. According to her, the "absurd accusations" made "came as no surprise to the entire political team."

The politician noted that this is a continuation of a personal vendetta, and the ruling party is prepared to persecute its most important political opponent, Giorgi Gakharia, even at the expense of national interests.

"We've seen them defend and take pride in the steps Giorgi Gakharia took on various projects many times. Then they didn't need him; Gakharia only caused them discomfort. Today, the only one fighting against the Georgian Dream is Giorgi Gakharia and his team, while the Georgian Dream is using the 'Nats' against the country," Khvedeliani said.

As a reminder, the leader of the political force, Giorgi Gakharia, is currently in an EU country. His party ended its previously announced boycott: first, it took part in local elections and then entered the Georgian parliament.

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