**Georgian Opposition Leader Sentenced to Prison for Refusing to Testify**
In a move that has been widely criticized as another attack on the country’s opposition, a Tbilisi City Court judge yesterday sentenced Nika Gvaramia, leader of the Ahali party, to eight months in prison for refusing to appear before the Tsulukiani Commission. This commission is a temporary investigative body set up by the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) parliament.
Gvaramia’s sentence marks the seventh time someone has been imprisoned for defying summonses from this commission. The opposition leader has been in pretrial detention since June 16, after refusing to pay court-imposed bail. He did not attend yesterday’s ruling, following a pattern set by other opposition figures in recent weeks.
The GD parliament’s temporary investigative body was initially formed to probe alleged misconduct under the United National Movement (UNM) government, but it has since expanded its scope to include critics of the current regime. The commission has summoned several high-profile opposition figures, including Nika Melia, Mamuka Khazaradze, and Giorgi Vashadze, who have all refused to cooperate.
**Limiting Media Coverage**
Yesterday’s ruling was notable for being delivered without media coverage. New legislative changes passed by the GD parliament last week ban journalists from filming, photographing, or live broadcasting from court premises without prior consent. This move has been widely seen as an attempt to limit scrutiny and suppress dissenting voices.
Gvaramia’s sentence also includes a two-year ban on holding public office, a penalty that has been applied uniformly to all those who have refused to testify before the commission.
**Background on Nika Gvaramia**
Nika Gvaramia is a well-known figure in Georgian politics. He served as Deputy Prosecutor General, Justice Minister, and Education Minister between 2007 and 2009 under the UNM government. In 2022, he was imprisoned for abuse of power related to his management of the opposition-leaning Rustavi 2 channel. However, President Salome Zurabishvili pardoned him in June 2023.
After his release, Gvaramia entered politics and co-founded the Ahali party with Nika Melia. The coalition has been vocal about their opposition to the GD parliament’s actions and has boycotted the local elections scheduled for October 2025.
**The Tsulukiani Commission**
The Georgian Dream parliament’s temporary investigative commission was initially formed to probe alleged misconduct under the UNM government. However, it has since expanded its scope to include critics of the current regime. The commission is chaired by Tea Tsulukiani, a veteran of the GD party who previously served as Justice and Culture Minister.
Opposition figures have refused to cooperate with the commission, citing concerns about its legitimacy and bias. Former Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia was an exception, agreeing to testify while maintaining that his appearance did not amount to legitimizing the rump parliament.
**Investigations into Opposition Figures**
The Tsulukiani Commission has asked the Prosecutor’s Office to open investigations into several opposition figures who have refused to appear before them. These individuals face fines or up to one year in prison, as well as a ban on holding public office for up to three years.
However, the court has opted for prison sentences instead of fines, leaving many to wonder about the true intentions behind this move.
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