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15 hours ago
- Politics
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64th Round of Geneva International Discussions
On June 25-26, the 64th round of Geneva International Discussions (GID) – a multilateral format to address security and humanitarian consequences of the 2008 Russia-Georgia war – was held in Geneva. The Georgian delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister and Georgian Dream member Lasha Darsalia, stressed the need for the 'full implementation' of the EU-brokered 2008 ceasefire agreement by Russia, as well as the return of Georgia's internally displaced persons and refugees to their homes, the Georgian Foreign Ministry stated . The Ministry's statement added that the Georgian delegation emphasized the importance of resuming the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in Gali 'without any preconditions' and ensuring the continued functioning of both the Gali and Ergneti IPRMs. The delegation raised the 'difficult' security, humanitarian, and human rights situation in the occupied regions and along the occupation lines, 'expressing concern over recent actions such as the illegal launch of the airport, in violation of fundamental principles and norms of international law, as well as the start of regular flights, railway traffic from Russia to Sokhumi, and the launch of an electric train service.' According to the Georgian MFA, representatives of Russia and the occupied regimes, 'as is their usual practice,' left the talks when the issue of returning internally displaced persons and refugees was raised. The press communiqué of the Co-Chairs said they welcomed the participants for their 'continued commitment to this important process,' emphasizing, amid increased tensions in the wider region, the need for the talks to 'make progress and deliver on its core agenda items for the benefit of all conflict-affected people.' On June 26, the participants reviewed security developments on the ground since the last round of discussions in March. 'They continued their discussions, with a particular focus on non-use of force and international security arrangements,' the communiqué says, adding that the Co-Chairs emphasized the importance of commitment to the principle of non-use of force and 'acknowledged the substantive exchanges of views on this agenda item.' In another working group, discussions focused on humanitarian issues, including crossings, documentation, livelihoods, missing persons, cultural heritage, and education. Participants also had additional exchanges on issues related to freedom of movement and external mobility. 'Due to a walkout by some participants, the agenda item 'internally displaced persons and refugees' could not be discussed,' the Co-Chairs note. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that for the key objective of the Discussions — 'to ensure lasting security for Abkhazia and South Ossetia' — the Russian side emphasized the importance of 'concrete steps,' noting that, in 'practical terms,' this should involve 'the provision by Tbilisi of guarantees on the non-use of force against Sokhumi and Tskhinvali, formalized through a legally binding agreement.' 'Further stabilization in the region could also be supported by confirmation — within the GID — of the 'reconciliation' statements made by the Georgian authorities regarding Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and by putting those into practice.' The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed the urgency of these measures stems from the 'ongoing risks of Tbilisi attempting to reestablish control over the former regions by military force, as well as Georgia's continued rapprochement with NATO,' citing the country's 'close cooperation' with the Alliance, including 'regular participation in NATO-led military training exercises.' Saying the participants noted 'relative calm' on the ground, supported by dialogue channels under the GID — including hotlines and the Ergneti IPRM — the Russian Ministry's statement added that security in the region could be further strengthened by resuming the Gali IPRM, and 'by initiating the delimitation of Georgia's borders with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, followed by their demarcation.' The Russian side further criticized Georgia's introduction of what it described as a 'highly politicized' resolution at the UN General Assembly on internally displaced persons, saying it hinders the GID's humanitarian track. 'Georgia's attempts to force parallel discussions of this issue at other international platforms outside the GID — where official representatives of Sukhumi and Tskhinvali are denied access and, consequently, the opportunity to present their principled positions — will continue to block consideration of related topics within the GID format,' the Russian Foreign Ministry said. The Russian Foreign Ministry further claimed that Switzerland has lost 'its declared neutral status,' citing its joining of sanctions against Moscow by the 'collective West,' and said it 'remains relevant' to relocate regular GID meetings from Geneva to a 'truly neutral and acceptable venue for all participants.' The statement from Abkhazia's de facto foreign ministry said its representatives 'once again emphasize the importance of intensifying efforts to conclude a legally binding agreement on the non-use of force' between Sokhumi and Tbilisi. It also echoed the Russian Foreign Ministry by saying the issue of IDPs' return 'cannot be the subject of dialogue' for both occupied regions, 'as long as its consideration in the UN General Assembly is carried out without taking into account the opinions of both parties.' The representatives from the occupied Tskhinvali region, alongside Russian representatives, 'once again called on the Georgian party to launch joint work on the delimitation and subsequent demarcation of the state border' between Tskhinvali and Tbilisi, urging formal negotiations on the issue. They also drew 'serious attention' to what they described as 'ongoing gross violations by Georgia of the rights of Ossetians — natives of the Kazbegi region (Tyrsygom) — who have been denied access to their ancestral lands by Georgian authorities for many years.' The representatives from the occupied regions jointly stated that 'resuming discussions on the refugee issue would only be possible if Georgia renounced the artificial politicization of the problem and stopped discussing it behind the backs of other states involved in resolving it.' The next round of Geneva International Discussions is scheduled for November 2025. Also Read:
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a day ago
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Elene Khoshtaria Goes On Hunger Strike as 'New Form of Struggle'
Opposition Droa party leader Elene Khoshtaria announced a hunger strike, saying it is a 'new form of struggle.' 'Now that the regime has launched a new attack and arrested practically all of the opposition, I want to declare a new form of struggle — one that is not emotional or thoughtless, but victory-oriented,' Khoshtaria told reporters as she was announcing her 'firm decision' in the evening of June 27 in front of the parliament building on Tbilisi's Rustaveli Avenue, the epicenter of ongoing non-stop anti-Georgian Dream protests. She vowed not to leave Rustaveli Avenue, citing tragic reports of detained protesters losing family members while in custody. At least three inmates have lost parents since their arrest over protests that erupted after Georgian Dream's late-November announcement to halt EU accession. The most recent case is the death of the father of Onise Tskhadadze, a well-known comedian currently on trial for group violence. 'If you can't see the value of life, the value of freedom […] here's my life, here's my freedom too — and you still can't beat us,' Khoshtaria said, addressing the ruling Georgian Dream party. She went on to say in her 'statement to people' that the 'only way' is 'revolution and their overthrow from the street.' 'I can't tell anyone when to take to the streets, go on hunger strike, go to prison, or come out,' Khoshtaria said. 'I can only say this with my example: I am ready to sacrifice myself against the regime — and I will.' Six people, including five active opposition leaders, have been sentenced to several months in prison in recent days for refusing to appear before the Tsulukiani Commission in the Georgian Dream parliament, which they consider illegitimate. Two more are awaiting final rulings while in pre-trial custody. All three other leaders of the Coalition for Change, an election alliance formed ahead of the 2024 parliamentary vote, which includes Khoshtaria's Droa, are currently jailed: Zurab Japaridze from Girchi – More Freedom has been sentenced to seven months, Ahali's Nika Melia to eight months, while Nika Gvaramia, Ahali's other leader, currently remains in pretrial detention anticipating a similar sentence. Also Read:
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2 days ago
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U.S. Border Patrol Detains Georgian, Says He Is ‘Serious Public Threat'
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USBP) says a Georgian national is in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICI) custody in Brooklyn, New York, after agents uncovered 'damning intel' exposing him as a 'serious public threat.' According to the USBP, the U.S. federal law enforcement agency responsible for securing the American borders, the man arrived in the U.S. in 2023, claiming 'credible fear.' But the USBP adds, 'It's more like he was running from his shady past.' The man, whose name is not disclosed in the report, has a foreign criminal history as well as arrests in the U.S., the USBP says. He was 'leader of a criminal organization,' 'convicted of human smuggling across the Greek-Turkish border,' 'served 9 years in prison out of the 25-year sentence,' and 'admitted to working with the Russian KGB,' according to USBP, without providing any further details. As for his U.S. criminal record, USBP says he was arrested for 'petty theft' and 'possession of stolen goods' in February 2024. 'He didn't waste any time breaking the law – just 7 months in the U.S. and already participating in criminal behavior,' the USBP said, adding that the man is now pending removal proceedings. Also Read: This post is also available in: ქართული
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2 days ago
- Politics
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Nika Melia Sentenced to Eight Months for Defying Tsulukiani Commission
Tbilisi City Court Judge Nino Galustashvili sentenced on June 27 Nika Melia, leader of the opposition Ahali party, to eight months in prison for refusing to appear before the Tsulukiani Commission — a Georgian Dream parliament's temporary investigative body tasked with probing alleged crimes committed by former officials. Melia joins Givi Targamadze and four other opposition politicians, Giorgi Vashadze, Badri Japaridze, Mamuka Khazaradze, and Zurab Japaridze, who have already been sentenced to months in prison in similar cases. Another opposition leader, Nika Gvaramia, and Former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili, both in pretrial detention after rejecting court-imposed bail, await similar verdicts. All have also been stripped of their right to hold office for two years. In Melia's case, Judge Galustashvili additionally fined him GEL 25,000 (about USD 9,100), upholding a 2019 Tbilisi City Court decision in the Cartu Bank bankruptcy case, where Melia was found guilty of abuse of power. He has not paid the fine since. Nika Melia, who has been in pretrial detention after refusing to pay court-imposed bail in the Tsulukiani Commission's non-compliance case, did not attend the announcement of the final verdict. He also faces charges in a separate criminal case for contempt of court over a May 30 incident at Tbilisi City Court, where his pretrial detention was ordered following his controversial arrest the day before. In protest of Judge Irakli Shvangiradze's apparent disregard of what Melia called his 'abduction,' Melia splashed water on the judge. The Prosecutor's Office says Nika Melia insulted the judge. Melia faces up to two years in prison in this case. Dozens of international partners have condemned the prison sentences against the opposition figures, describing them as acts of political persecution and accusing the ruling Georgian Dream government of attempting to consolidate power. Nika Melia did not hold any political office under the UNM from 2003 to 2012. He served as a UNM lawmaker from 2016 to 2021. In late 2023, he quit UNM and, together with Nika Gvaramia, founded the Ahali party in 2024 ahead of the parliamentary elections. The Georgian Dream parliament's temporary investigative commission , chaired by GD veteran and former justice and culture minister Tea Tsulukiani, is tasked with probing alleged crimes committed by former officials. The commission has summoned alleged victims, former UNM government members, as well as the current opposition leaders, most of whom have refused to appear, considering the one-party parliament illegitimate. Former Georgian Dream Interior Minister and Prime Minister, now opposition For Georgia party leader Giorgi Gakharia, is the only exception who agreed to testify before the commission. He maintained that his compliance did not amount to recognizing the Georgian Dream parliament, which his party continues to boycott. Gakharia was recently summoned again over the Chorchana episode, which the Prosecutor's Office is investigating under 'sabotage' charges. Gakharia offered to appear online, citing a visit abroad. The commission declined a remote hearing and scheduled an in-person session for July 2, but Gakharia's party says he will still be abroad on that date. Two others – Nika Gvaramia and Mamuka Khazaradze – who previously refused to appear, were also resummoned. Both vowed to continue boycotting the GD commission from behind bars. Chair Tea Tsulukiani suggested the commission will likely ask the Prosecutor's Office again to investigate their renewed non-compliance. 'If Gvaramia or Khazaradze does not join the commission remotely from their cells, it will not be surprising to anyone that we will probably have to send their second case of non-appearance to the Prosecutor's Office,' Tsulukiani said in a June 23 interview with the pro-government channel Rustavi 2. Under Georgian law, failing to comply with a temporary parliamentary investigative commission is a criminal offense punishable by up to one year in prison or a fine, along with a ban on holding public office for up to three years. So far, however, courts have imposed only prison sentences, with no fines issued. The commission is addressing topics including alleged torture, business racketeering, and the August 2008 war, which it blames on the former UNM government and ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili. On June 25, the Georgian Dream Parliament extended the Tsulukiani Commission's term by one more month, until August 5. Georgian Dream said the commission's final report will be submitted to the country's Constitutional Court to ban the UNM and its 'successor parties.' GD says it plans to ban the opposition by the end of the year. Also Read:
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2 days ago
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Givi Targamadze Sentenced to Seven Months for Defying Tsulukiani Commission
Tbilisi City Court Judge Nino Galustashvili on June 27 sentenced former UNM lawmaker Givi Targamadze to seven months in prison for refusing to appear before the Tsulukiani Commission – the Georgian Dream parliament's temporary commission of inquiry, chaired by GD veteran Tea Tsulukiani and tasked with probing the former officials. Targamadze is the fifth to receive a prison sentence, following opposition leaders Giorgi Vashadze of Strategy Aghmashenebeli, Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaradze of Lelo, and Zurab Japaridze of Girchi–More Freedom. Three others, Nika Melia and Nika Gvaramia of Ahali, and former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili , currently in pretrial detention after rejecting court-imposed bail, also face likely prison rulings. All those sentenced so far have also been barred from holding public office for two years. Givi Targamadze served as a UNM MP from 2004 to 2016, across three parliamentary convocations. From 2008 to 2012, he chaired the parliamentary Defense and Security Committee. In 2017, he joined European Georgia, a party that split from UNM, but left it in 2021. Targamadze did not attend the court hearing where his sentence was announced by Judge Nino Galustashvili, who had earlier sentenced Giorgi Vashadze to seven months in the same case, and 21-year-old Mate Devidze to four years and six months in prison for allegedly assaulting police. Under Georgian law, noncompliance with a parliamentary investigative commission is a criminal offense punishable by up to one year in prison or a fine, as well as a ban on holding public office for up to three years. However, courts have so far issued only prison sentences, with no fines imposed. Dozens of international partners have condemned the arrests of opposition politicians, describing them as acts of political persecution and saying the Georgian Dream is trying to consolidate power and suppress dissent. In 2013, Russian authorities charged Givi Targamadze in absentia for allegedly conspiring with a Russian opposition activist to incite riots in Moscow in 2012. The Moscow court sanctioned his arrest. Earlier, in 2006, Belarus also accused him of involvement in an alleged plot after the elections aimed at toppling the government. Targamadze was also the target of a car explosion in 2016 in downtown Tbilisi. Then-President Giorgi Margvelashvili condemned the blast as a 'terrorist act,' calling it 'an attack of crime against the normal political, democratic process.' The Georgian Dream parliament's temporary investigative commission , chaired by GD veteran and former justice and culture minister Tea Tsulukiani, is officially tasked with probing alleged crimes committed by the former United National Movement government and other officials. The commission has summoned both alleged victims and former officials, including current opposition leaders, most of whom have refused to appear, considering the one-party parliament illegitimate. On June 25, the GD parliament once again extended the commission's term by one month, until August 5. Former Georgian Dream Interior Minister and Prime Minister, now opposition For Georgia party leader Giorgi Gakharia, is the only opposition leader who agreed to testify before the Tsulukiani Commission. He maintained that his compliance did not amount to recognizing the Georgian Dream parliament, which his party continues to boycott. Gakharia was recently summoned again over the Chorchana episode, which the Prosecutor's Office is investigating under 'sabotage' charges. Gakharia offered to appear online, citing a visit abroad. The commission declined a remote hearing and scheduled an in-person session for July 2, but Gakharia's party says he will still be abroad on that date. Two others – Nika Gvaramia and Mamuka Khazaradze – who previously refused to appear, were also resummoned. Both vowed to continue boycotting the GD commission from behind bars. Chair Tea Tsulukiani suggested the commission will likely ask the Prosecutor's Office again to investigate their renewed non-compliance. 'If Gvaramia or Khazaradze does not join the commission remotely from their cells, it will not be surprising to anyone that we will probably have to send their second case of non-appearance to the Prosecutor's Office,' Tsulukiani said in a June 23 interview with the pro-government channel Rustavi 2. The commission is addressing topics including alleged torture, business racketeering, and the August 2008 war, which it blames on the former UNM government and ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili. Georgian Dream says the commission's final report will be submitted to the country's Constitutional Court to ban the UNM and its 'successor parties.' GD says it plans to ban the opposition by the end of the year. Also Read: This post is also available in: ქართული
