Oppositionists Call on Released Lelo Leaders to Boycott Elections
Lelo party leaders Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, pardoned by the Georgian president, have been released from prison. Representatives of other opposition parties have called on them to reverse their decision to participate in municipal elections, which is advantageous to the authorities.
As "Kavkazsky Uzel reported, on June 23, a court in Tbilisi sentenced Mamuka Khazaradze, a representative of the leadership of the opposition coalition "Strong Georgia" and the Lelo party, and Badri Japaridze, one of the leaders of Lelo, to eight months in prison for failing to appear when summoned by the parliamentary investigative commission. The judge also deprived both of them of the right to hold office for two years. On September 5, President Mikheil Kavelashvili announced a pardon for Khazaradze and Japaridze.
Earlier, eight opposition parties announced a boycott of the municipal elections scheduled for October 4. In July, Mikheil Kavelashvili announced that he was ready to pardon the opposition leaders convicted of failing to appear at a parliamentary commission meeting in exchange for their participation in the municipal elections. After this, the Lelo - Strong Georgia coalition renounced its boycott of the elections. On September 5, announcing his decision, Kavelashvili emphasized that Khazaradze and Japaridze themselves had not approached him with requests for pardon. He explained the act of pardon by the desire "to leave no one with a reason to talk about limited competitiveness" in the October elections.
Khazaradze and Japaridze released from Rustavi prison
On September 5, Mamuka Khazaradze left Rustavi prison #12, and was met at the exit by his family members and representatives of the Lelo party. On the same day, Badri Japaridze was also released from Rustavi prison. Like Khazaradze, he was met by relatives and party representatives, Interpressnews reports.
This is manipulation of people's freedom, this is trampling on the law, this is human trafficking
Mamuka Khazaradze called his release unexpected. "Today's release of me and Badri Japaridze, which we absolutely did not expect and were waiting here for the expiration of the 8-month term, we were released only for one reason, so that there would be a confrontation. […] What the so-called president did today is legal nonsense, it is manipulation of people's freedom, it is trampling on the law, it is human trafficking. If in the coming days the so-called president does not release the rest of the political prisoners who are in prison under absolutely the same article, this will be another illustration of the fact that Bidzina Ivanishvili, the Georgian Dream, its president are using the Georgian legislation for their personal interests, and this will be another clear example for the world, for the democratic world, that we must remove these people from power as quickly as possible," the publication quoted him as saying.
A criminal case was opened under Article 349 of the Criminal Code of Georgia ("Failure to comply with the requirement of the temporary investigative commission of parliament"), which provides for up to a year of imprisonment. Eight oppositionists were sentenced to prison terms in June-July under it. . The leaders of the ruling Georgian Dream linked the imprisonment of opposition politicians to their refusal to recognize the legitimacy of the parliament.
In turn, Badri Japaridze after being released from prison confirmed his decision to participate in the elections. "I respect the position of all oppositionists. We made the decision after careful consideration and weighing all the factors. Of course, we did not change this decision, because of which we were sent to prison. Accordingly, we remain committed to this decision and believe that everything that can bring the European future of the country, peaceful street demonstrations, everyone has the right to boycott, no one can prevent this, but at the same time we should not disappoint hundreds of thousands of opposition people, voters who will come to the elections on October 4. They must see that European parties are ready to fight to protect their votes," the publication quotes the oppositionist as saying.
Opposition representatives called on Lelo leaders to refuse to participate in the elections
Among the main opposition groups, only the Lelo - Strong Georgia coalition and the Gakharia - for Georgia party plan to participate in the municipal elections. Other opposition parties called the October elections a “special operation” to strengthen the power of the Georgian Dream, JAMnews reported on September 5.
The publication also published comments from opposition representatives regarding the pardoning of politicians. Thus, Elene Khoshtaria from the "Coalition for Change" called on the released opposition members to boycott the elections.
I look forward to this correct decision from "Lelo"
"It does not matter what "Georgian Dream" has planned, the main thing is how the real opposition will react to it. I want to appeal to Mamuka and Badri with all my heart and respect on the day of their release, so that they make the only correct decision - not for the coalition and not for me, but for the country. The decision to leave this wrong, non-existent Russian special operation [elections] and return to the common, principled, non-cooperative, insubordinate resistance struggle. This will strengthen this struggle. This will be the only correct decision for "Lelo", for the entire opposition, for all activists and, most importantly, for our country. I look forward to this correct decision from "Lelo," she said.
We need to stop helping the regime deceive the Georgian people
A similar call was voiced by the representative of the "Federalists" party Tamar Chergoleishvili. "We call on Lelo to return to the rational path of unity and strike Bidzina Ivanishvili where it hurts. It is absolutely clear that he needs the legitimacy of the farce called "self-government elections." Therefore, we must stop helping the regime deceive the Georgian people and not participate in the elections, thereby uniting the opposition society," her words are quoted in the publication.
Recall that in February, a parliamentary commission began work in Georgia to study the "crimes of the regime" Mikheil Saakashvili in 2003-2012. The commission intends to prove that the "Five-Day War" in 2008 was initiated by the third president of Georgia.
The case of failure to appear at the parliamentary commission meetings has become an episode of repression against politicians who are undesirable to the authorities, representatives of the opposition said.
The criminal prosecution of the oppositionists is taking place against the backdrop of protests that have been taking place in Tbilisi since November 28, 2024. Activists come out to the Georgian parliament every day and block Rustaveli Avenue. They demand the release of arrested supporters of European integration and the appointment of new parliamentary elections.
The "Caucasian Knot" has collected materials about the parliamentary elections and the protests that followed them on the page "Elections in Georgia-2024".