Latest news with #Khazaradze
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia jails three opposition politicians, including bank founder
By Lucy Papachristou (Reuters) -Three Georgian opposition politicians were sentenced to months in prison on Monday, the first to be convicted in a series of prosecutions targeting government critics who refused to give evidence to lawmakers. Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, leading figures in the opposition Lelo for Georgia party, were both sentenced to eight months, while Zurab Japaridze of the Coalition for Change bloc received seven months. Khazaradze is a co-founder of London-listed TBC Bank, one of Georgia's largest. Authorities have launched a string of cases against people accused of refusing to testify to a parliamentary commission investigating alleged wrongdoing under jailed ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, who led the South Caucasus country from 2004 to 2012. Four other people are also being prosecuted. Georgian authorities have moved to clamp down on leading figures of the pro-European Union opposition as street protests continue over a disputed October election and a subsequent government decision to halt talks on joining the EU. Khazaradze and both Japaridzes, who are not related, were also banned from holding public office for two years, the Interpress news agency reported. Their parties rejected last year's election result and accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of rigging the poll in order to win a fourth term. The government denies that allegation, but two U.S. pollsters said there was evidence of manipulation. In a post on X, Khazaradze rejected the court's ruling, saying the parliamentary commission "has no real function" and pointing out he did not hold public office during the period the body is investigating. Spokespeople for the parties of the jailed politicians did not immediately reply to requests for comment. Traditionally one of the most pro-Western countries to emerge from the Soviet Union, Georgia has taken a sharply authoritarian turn in recent years, critics say. Georgian Dream has passed a slew of laws clamping down on foreign-funded organisations operating in the country, and on LGBT people. Georgian Dream says it still wants to join the EU but also wants to preserve the country's traditional values and keep peace with its huge northern neighbour, Russia.
Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Georgia jails three opposition politicians, including bank founder
FILE PHOTO: Zurab Japaridze, one of the leaders of the Coalition for Change opposition party, accused of failing to fulfil the demands of the Georgian parliament's temporary investigative commission probing the activities of the 2003-2012 government and its officials, attends a court hearing in Tbilisi, Georgia May 22, 2025. REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze/Pool/ File Photo Three Georgian opposition politicians were sentenced to months in prison on Monday, the first to be convicted in a series of prosecutions targeting government critics who refused to give evidence to lawmakers. Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, leading figures in the opposition Lelo for Georgia party, were both sentenced to eight months, while Zurab Japaridze of the Coalition for Change bloc received seven months. Khazaradze is a co-founder of London-listed TBC Bank, one of Georgia's largest. Authorities have launched a string of cases against people accused of refusing to testify to a parliamentary commission investigating alleged wrongdoing under jailed ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, who led the South Caucasus country from 2004 to 2012. Four other people are also being prosecuted. Georgian authorities have moved to clamp down on leading figures of the pro-European Union opposition as street protests continue over a disputed October election and a subsequent government decision to halt talks on joining the EU. Khazaradze and both Japaridzes, who are not related, were also banned from holding public office for two years, the Interpress news agency reported. Their parties rejected last year's election result and accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of rigging the poll in order to win a fourth term. The government denies that allegation, but two U.S. pollsters said there was evidence of manipulation. In a post on X, Khazaradze rejected the court's ruling, saying the parliamentary commission "has no real function" and pointing out he did not hold public office during the period the body is investigating. Spokespeople for the parties of the jailed politicians did not immediately reply to requests for comment. Traditionally one of the most pro-Western countries to emerge from the Soviet Union, Georgia has taken a sharply authoritarian turn in recent years, critics say. Georgian Dream has passed a slew of laws clamping down on foreign-funded organisations operating in the country, and on LGBT people. Georgian Dream says it still wants to join the EU but also wants to preserve the country's traditional values and keep peace with its huge northern neighbour, Russia. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Reuters
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Georgia jails three opposition politicians, including bank founder
June 23 (Reuters) - Three Georgian opposition politicians were sentenced to months in prison on Monday, the first to be convicted in a series of prosecutions targeting government critics who refused to give evidence to lawmakers. Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, leading figures in the opposition Lelo for Georgia party, were both sentenced to eight months, while Zurab Japaridze of the Coalition for Change bloc received seven months. Khazaradze is a co-founder of London-listed TBC Bank (TBCG.L), opens new tab, one of Georgia's largest. Authorities have launched a string of cases against people accused of refusing to testify to a parliamentary commission investigating alleged wrongdoing under jailed ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, who led the South Caucasus country from 2004 to 2012. Four other people are also being prosecuted. Georgian authorities have moved to clamp down on leading figures of the pro-European Union opposition as street protests continue over a disputed October election and a subsequent government decision to halt talks on joining the EU. Khazaradze and both Japaridzes, who are not related, were also banned from holding public office for two years, the Interpress news agency reported. Their parties rejected last year's election result and accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of rigging the poll in order to win a fourth term. The government denies that allegation, but two U.S. pollsters said there was evidence of manipulation. In a post on X, Khazaradze rejected the court's ruling, saying the parliamentary commission "has no real function" and pointing out he did not hold public office during the period the body is investigating. Spokespeople for the parties of the jailed politicians did not immediately reply to requests for comment. Traditionally one of the most pro-Western countries to emerge from the Soviet Union, Georgia has taken a sharply authoritarian turn in recent years, critics say. Georgian Dream has passed a slew of laws clamping down on foreign-funded organisations operating in the country, and on LGBT people. Georgian Dream says it still wants to join the EU but also wants to preserve the country's traditional values and keep peace with its huge northern neighbour, Russia.
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Georgian opposition leader jailed amid crackdown
AI- Generated Image TBILISI: A court in Georgia on Monday sentenced a prominent opposition leader to eight months in prison, in the latest case critics say is part of a mounting crackdown on dissent. Georgia has been in political turmoil since the ruling Georgian Dream party won parliamentary elections last October. Its results were disputed by the opposition and sparked mass protests which only intensified after the government shelved EU membership talks. Demonstrators accuse the ruling party of sliding into authoritarianism and steering the country closer to Moscow -- accusations the government denies. Mamuka Khazaradze, leader of the opposition Lelo party and a staunch government critic, was sentenced by a Tbilisi court to eight months in prison and barred from holding public office for two years. He was convicted of refusing to testify before a parliamentary commission investigating alleged abuses under jailed ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili. Saakashvili has been sentenced to more than a decade in prison on various charges, which rights groups have denounced as politically motivated. Khazaradze, who boycotted the trial, condemned the case as a "political witch hunt," accusing the government of "using its repressive machinery to silence and break the opposition." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 마지막으로 2025년 최고의 좀비 게임을 무료로 즐기세요 경복의 바다 플레이하기 Undo "Terror in Georgia: the government is intensifying its repressions," former president and opposition leader Salome Zurabishvili said after the verdict. Khazaradze's jailing comes amid a wave of arrests and prosecutions targeting opposition figures and rights activists. Another Lelo leader, Badri Japaridze, is due in court later Monday. Earlier this month, courts ordered the pre-trial detention of three more opposition leaders on similar charges. They have refused to cooperate with the parliamentary inquiry, denouncing it as illegitimate and a tool to outlaw dissent. Ahead of last year's disputed elections, Georgian Dream announced plan to ban all major opposition parties.
