Pre-trial detention for Japaridze: When political resistance is declared a crime

Judiciary in Georgia: independent as a jackhammer on party orders

On May 22, 2025, the Tbilisi City Court remanded Zurab Japaridze, chairman of the opposition party Girchi – More Freedom , in pretrial detention. The reason: Japaridze had refused to pay bail set by the court. This bail, in turn, had been imposed because he ignored a summons from the parliamentary-appointed "Investigative Commission"—the body that, on paper, serves to investigate the case, but in practice functions as a disciplinary instrument of the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Invitation to abuse of power

What had happened? The Georgian Parliament's temporary investigative commission, whose impartiality is about as credible as a promise of independence from Rosneft, had summoned Japaridze. However, he refused to cooperate with a body he – rightly – described as illegitimate. Instead of respecting this political statement as part of the democratic debate, the judiciary responded with coercive measures. The message is clear: Anyone who resists will be locked away.

Pretrial Detention – Georgian Specialty

In functioning democracies, pre-trial detention is considered the ultima ratio, the last resort, when there is a risk of escape, obstruction of justice, or reoffending. In Georgia, however, it seems to be used primarily when someone gets on the regime's nerves. The fact that Japaridze has now actually been imprisoned marks a new low: Refusing to submit to a party-controlled committee is criminalized.

Court or party headquarters?

The Tbilisi City Court's decision is unlikely to have been entirely accidental—rather, it demonstrates once again how closely the judiciary is aligned with the ruling party. The independence of the courts in Georgia is regularly questioned—not only by NGOs and human rights organizations, but also by international institutions. The EU's Venice Commission, the OSCE, and Amnesty International have repeatedly criticized the fact that judges in Georgia are under the direct influence of the executive branch.

The Japaridze case as a warning signal

The imprisonment of a well-known opposition politician shortly before the elections is not an accident. It sends a clear message: Those who do not bow to Georgian Dream will not be ignored—they will be criminalized. The Georgian government relies on intimidation rather than arguments. And the judiciary is diligently assisting.

As a reminder, in March 2024, Amnesty International stated that “the Georgian government is systematically undermining the rule of law and using the judiciary to intimidate political opponents.” The Japaridze case provides evidence of this.

What remains? Hope – perhaps abroad

While European politicians strive for diplomatic language, in Tbilisi, opposition politicians are being jailed. The question is no longer whether the rule of law in Georgia will be undermined, but how quickly .

Japaridze's case should not be dismissed as a footnote in Georgia's political history. It is symptomatic of a government that views any criticism as an attack—and acts accordingly.