Third Georgian Opposition Leader Jailed as Government Intensifies Crackdown Through Parliamentary Commission

Nika Gvaramia arrested

Nika Gvaramia becomes the latest opposition figure detained for refusing to cooperate with controversial investigation targeting former ruling party

Nika Gvaramia, leader of the opposition Coalition for Change, was arrested on June 13 outside Rustavi Penitentiary No. 12, becoming the third opposition leader jailed in just three weeks for boycotting a Georgian Dream parliamentary commission. The escalating arrests signal an intensification of the ruling party's campaign against opposition forces ahead of planned efforts to ban rival political movements entirely.

Gvaramia voluntarily surrendered to authorities, personally calling emergency services to request police presence before being handcuffed and taken into custody. As officers detained him, the defiant politician shouted: "The oligarchy must fall! Glory to Georgia!"

Systematic Targeting Through Legal Mechanism

The arrests stem from opposition leaders' refusal to cooperate with a temporary investigative commission tasked with probing alleged crimes committed during the United National Movement (UNM) government's rule from 2003-2012. The commission, chaired by Georgian Dream veteran Tea Tsulukiani, has become the primary vehicle for the ruling party's crackdown on opposition figures.

All three detained leaders—Gvaramia, Zurab Japaridze of Girchi-More Freedom, and Nika Melia of Ahali—followed identical patterns: they defied commission summons, were charged under Article 349 of the Criminal Code, offered 30,000 GEL (approximately $11,000) bail, and ultimately refused payment, leading to their imprisonment.

"If I have to pay the price by being in prison for this, fine, then I will pay this price," Gvaramia wrote on Facebook before his arrest. "I am confident that I am right before my conscience and before Georgia. If we cannot save our country, this will be a dark page in history."

Controversial Commission's Broad Mandate

The parliamentary commission addresses topics including alleged torture, business racketeering, and the August 2008 war, which it attributes to the former UNM government and ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili. Most summoned opposition figures have refused to appear, viewing the commission as illegitimate given their boycott of the current parliament.

The notable exception was Giorgi Gakharia, former Georgian Dream prime minister turned opposition leader, who testified while maintaining his appearance did not constitute recognition of parliament's legitimacy.

Other opposition politicians, including Lelo for Georgia's Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, avoided initial detention by posting bail but still face criminal charges for defying commission summons.

Political Stakes and Broader Implications

Georgian Dream has made clear the commission's ultimate purpose extends beyond investigation. The ruling party plans to submit the commission's final report to the Constitutional Court to ban the UNM and what it calls "successor parties," with the goal of eliminating organized opposition by year's end.

The systematic nature of these arrests—three opposition leaders detained using identical legal mechanisms within three weeks—suggests a coordinated strategy rather than isolated legal proceedings. Each case follows the same script: commission summons, refusal to appear, criminal charges, bail offers, and eventual imprisonment when defendants refuse to pay.

For Gvaramia, the current detention marks his second imprisonment in recent years. He previously served from May 2022 to June 2023 on charges of abusing his powers while managing Rustavi 2 TV—a case widely viewed as politically motivated—before being released through presidential pardon by Salome Zurabishvili.

Opposition Response and International Concerns

The escalating arrests have drawn criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups, who argue that refusing to appear before what they consider an illegitimate commission cannot constitute a criminal offense. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA) has specifically stated that rejection to appear before the Georgian Dream commission cannot be qualified as a criminal offense.

The systematic jailing of opposition leaders through parliamentary commission procedures represents a concerning escalation in Georgia's political tensions, raising questions about democratic norms and the rule of law as the country approaches what Georgian Dream promises will be a decisive political confrontation by year's end.

As Gvaramia and his fellow opposition leaders remain in detention, their cases have become symbols of resistance against what critics characterize as authoritarian overreach, while supporters of the ruling party view the commission as necessary accountability for past alleged crimes. The resolution of these cases will likely shape Georgia's political landscape heading into the government's promised campaign to eliminate organized opposition entirely.