**Former UNM Lawmaker Givi Targamadze Sentenced to Seven Months in Prison**
A court in Tbilisi has sentenced former lawmaker Givi Targamadze to seven months in prison for refusing to appear before a temporary commission of inquiry. This is the fifth prison sentence handed down by the Georgian Dream government, which is being seen as an attempt to consolidate power and suppress dissent.
Targamadze, who served as a UNM MP from 2004 to 2016, was among those summoned by the Tsulukiani Commission, a parliamentary investigative body set up by the Georgian Dream. He refused to attend the hearing where his sentence was announced, citing concerns about the commission’s legitimacy.
Under Georgian law, refusing to comply with a parliamentary commission can result in a prison sentence of up to one year or a fine. However, courts have so far only issued prison sentences, with no fines imposed.
**International Condemnation**
The arrests and sentencing of opposition politicians have been widely condemned by international partners, who describe them as acts of political persecution. Dozens of countries have expressed their concern about the Georgian Dream’s efforts to consolidate power and suppress dissent.
Targamadze himself has faced charges in Russia and Belarus for alleged crimes against these countries. In 2016, he was also the target of a car explosion in downtown Tbilisi, which was condemned by then-President Giorgi Margvelashvili as a “terrorist act”.
**Tsulukiani Commission’s Agenda**
The Tsulukiani Commission has been tasked with probing alleged crimes committed by the former United National Movement government and other officials. The commission has summoned both alleged victims and former officials, including current opposition leaders.
However, most of those summoned have refused to appear, considering the one-party parliament illegitimate. The commission has now resummoned Nika Gvaramia and Mamuka Khazaradze, who previously refused to testify, and they vow to continue boycotting the GD commission from behind bars.
**Georgian Dream’s Plans**
The Georgian Dream government plans to submit its final report to the Constitutional Court to ban the UNM and its “successor parties”. The party also aims to ban the opposition by the end of the year.
As tensions rise, it remains to be seen how this will affect the political landscape in Georgia. Will other opposition leaders continue to resist the commission’s summons? And what does this mean for the future of democracy in the country?
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In a worrying trend, Georgian Dream is using its parliamentary majority to silence opposition voices and consolidate power. The international community must continue to speak out against this erosion of democracy in Georgia.
For now, it seems that the government will stop at nothing to achieve its goals, even if it means silencing former lawmakers like Targamadze. But what’s next for these brave individuals? Will they be silenced forever?
The world is watching Georgia closely, hoping that the country will not slide back into authoritarianism.
