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WafricNews – July 1st, 2025

Tbilisi, Georgia – A Georgian court has sentenced opposition leader Nika Gvaramia to eight months in prison and barred him from holding public office for two years, marking a sharp escalation in the government’s crackdown on critics of the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Gvaramia, co-leader of the opposition Akhali party, was convicted for refusing to cooperate with a parliamentary commission investigating alleged abuses during the tenure of former President Mikheil Saakashvili, who is currently serving a lengthy prison term.

This sentencing follows a pattern of arrests targeting leading opposition figures. Last week, Giorgi Vashadze, former deputy justice minister, received a seven-month jail term on similar charges.

The actions against opposition members have sparked widespread criticism, with many accusing the Georgian Dream government of undermining democracy and silencing dissent following last year’s disputed elections and ongoing protests.

Gvaramia’s lawyer, Dito Sadzaglishvili, called the verdict “unlawful” and condemned it as part of a broader effort to crush political opposition.

International voices have also condemned the crackdown. The British government summoned Georgia’s charge d’affaires, denouncing the imprisonment of opposition leaders as a serious threat to freedoms and democracy. The UK warned it may take further action if Georgia fails to uphold democratic norms.

Human rights group Amnesty International voiced concerns over the misuse of legislative and policing powers to target government critics. Amnesty singled out the controversial parliamentary commission as a tool for political persecution.

Since Georgian Dream’s disputed electoral victory in October, the country has been rocked by mass protests and growing tensions. Critics accuse the ruling party of edging Georgia closer to Moscow and eroding democratic institutions—charges the government denies.

Despite political turmoil, Georgia’s EU membership bid remains popular, with polls showing about 80 percent public support. The United States and European nations have imposed sanctions on some Georgian officials over the crackdown on opposition voices.


By WafricNews Desk.

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