Georgian opposition leader Japaridze arrested after boycotting anti-UNM commission

Georgia’s Girchi — More Freedom party leader, Zurab Girchi Japaridze, has been remanded into police custody on Thursday after refusing to pay bail in protest. The bail had been imposed for his refusal to appear before a government-initiated parliamentary commission tasked with investigating alleged crimes committed by the formerly ruling United National Movement (UNM) party.

Japaridze, who held no political office during the rule of the UNM and joined the party in 2012 — just months before it moved into opposition — was summoned by the Georgian Dream-led commission in early April. Like many other opposition figures, he boycotted the commission, refusing to recognise its legitimacy, as well as that of the current parliament, which has also been boycotted by major opposition parties following the disputed 2024 parliamentary elections.

The commission to investigate the UNM’s time in power was established in February, following repeated pledges by Georgian Dream to punish the former ruling party. Initially, its mandate was limited to the UNM’s years in government (2003–2012), but it was later expanded to cover the period up to the present day — effectively allowing the ruling party to target virtually any opposition figure.

Criminal cases were launched against several politicians who refused to appear before the commission under the relevant article of the criminal code, which provides for a fine or up to one year in prison, as well as a ban on holding public office or engaging in certain activities for up to three years.

A case was launched against Japaridze as well, and the court initially imposed ₾20,000 ($7,300) in bail as a preventive measure. However, the politician refused to pay in protest. The Prosecutor’s Office subsequently requested that the bail be replaced with pre-trial detention — a motion the court upheld.

The court hearing took place against the backdrop of a rally in support of Japaridze, as well as a large security mobilisation, with a heavy police presence around the court building and the courtyard gate locked. Police detained at least three protesters, one of whom — Albi Kordzaia — was reportedly injured by police officers, according to her lawyer. The injuries on Kordzaia’s body were later confirmed by the Public Defender.

Japaridze is the second person to be arrested after refusing to appear before the ruling party commission. On 15 May, the court remanded Irakli Okruashvili, a former defence minister under UNM, into custody after he also declined to pay the bail imposed on him after refusing to attend the commission.

Against this backdrop, the Girchi — More Freedom leader had anticipated his arrest and said farewell to his family members in advance.

‘If everyone refuses to take part in this lie, the regime will collapse’, he said before the hearing.

In addition to Japaridze’s refusal to comply with bail conditions, the prosecutor justified the need for pre-trial detention by citing the risk of reoffending and potential flight — claims Japaridze has denied.

Before his arrest, the politician stated he had no intention of fleeing and that his decision not to pay the bail was a principled one, as he refused to participate in what he described as a ‘masquerade’ — referring to the ruling party’s commission.

‘That’s why this regime is dangerous’

Japaridze’s arrest was swiftly condemned by both opposition politicians and civil society representatives in Georgia. Several opposition figures, including members of different parties, were present at the court in solidarity.

UNM leader Tina Bokuchava stated that the arrest was yet another signal to the West that it ‘must act very quickly’ against Georgian Dream. Saba Buadze of the Lelo party described the move as a sign of the ruling party’s ‘weakness’.

Georgia’s fifth president, Salome Zourabichvili, also weighed in, calling it another ‘deeply shameful day for Georgian Dream’.

In its legal assessment of the case, the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) argued that failure to appear before the commission should not be treated as a criminal offence. The organisation pointed out that, aside from the criminal code, the administrative offences code also governs noncompliance with parliamentary commissions — and does not prescribe imprisonment. GYLA emphasised that any legal response in such cases should minimise restrictions on individual freedom.

At a joint briefing by several civil society groups, the chair of Civil Idea organisation, Tina Khidasheli, stated ‘if anyone ever asks, years from now, when dictatorship began in Georgia, you can confidently answer that it began on 22 May 22 2025’.

Khidasheli, who served as foreign minister under Georgian Dream, underlined that Japaridze had no connection to the UNM’s time in power. She warned that the ruling party now had the ability to summon anyone to the commission — even those who had nothing to do with the commission’s subject matter — and imprison them if they refused to appear.

‘We are witnessing injustice on this scale. Beyond that, this is a typical, classic case of political retribution. That’s why this regime is dangerous’, she added.

Japaridze’s arrest also drew criticism from Georgian Dream’s foreign critics. UK MP James MacCleary wrote on social media that ‘Georgia continues down its slippery slope of political repression’ and called for UK government sanctions to follow. Meanwhile, MEP Rasa Juknevičienė stated that the Georgian Dream ‘regime’s brutality keeps escalating’.

‘Red lines were crossed long ago, but today goes too far’, she added.

The European political party Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party (ALDE), of which Japaridze’s party is a member, also reacted to the arrest. Calling the proceedings a sham trial, the group considered the arrest as further evidence that the Georgian Dream government is scared of the continued demonstrations and growing public pressure.

Georgian Dream has openly declared that it intends to use the findings of the parliamentary commission to file a case with the Constitutional Court seeking to ban the country’s main opposition parties — a promise the ruling party made to its voters ahead of the 2024 elections.

The ruling party maintained that all major opposition groups operating in the country are satellites of the UNM and should no longer be allowed to exist.

Georgian Dream vows to amend law to ban new and future opposition parties

Banning the political opposition was one of the ruling party’s pre-election promises for 2024.

OC MediaMikheil Gvadzabia