Georgian opposition politician and leader of the Strategy Aghmashenebeli party, Giorgi Vashadze, has been sentenced to seven months in prison for failing to appear before a parliamentary investigative commission. He has also been banned from holding public office for two years.
On June 23, three other opposition leaders were sentenced to prison terms in similar cases: Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze from Strong Georgia and Lelo received eight-month sentences, while Zurab Japaridze from the Coalition for Change and Girchi – More Freedom was sentenced to seven months.
The official goal of the parliamentary commission, chaired by Thea Tsulukiani, is to investigate crimes allegedly committed during the tenure of the previous government. However, its mandate has also been extended to include events that occurred after 2012. For example, the commission is reviewing the responsibility of former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia for establishing a police checkpoint in the village of Chorchana in 2019.
According to Article 349 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, failure to comply with the demands of a temporary parliamentary investigative commission is punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to one year, along with a ban on holding public office or engaging in certain activities for up to three years.
