Georgia Jails Opposition Leader Over "Peaceful Revolution" Calls

A court in Georgia on Thursday sentenced opposition politician Levan Khabeishvili to two and a half years in prison for sabotage and inciting a coup during last year's local elections.

Khabeishvili, former chairman of the opposition United National Movement (UNM), was arrested last September after repeatedly urging citizens to take to the streets and join a "peaceful revolution" during the election period. He denies all charges.

The ruling Georgian Dream party, which has been in power since 2012, won the local elections on 4 October last year. The two largest opposition groups, including UNM, boycotted the vote as part of a wider conflict between the opposition and the government.

Tensions have persisted since November 2024, when the government announced a freeze on accession negotiations with the European Union (EU). On election day, police in Tbilisi dispersed demonstrators with water cannons and tear gas after some protesters attempted to storm the presidential palace.

Ten other people have been sentenced by Georgian courts this month, among them a well-known opera singer. Government critics say the prosecutions are an attempt to silence the opposition and confirm the country's authoritarian and pro-Russian direction. The government disputes this, accusing the opposition of attempting a violent coup.

(reuters, max)