The Daily Beat: 26 December
In an interview on his channel, Irakli Rukhadze, the owner of the Georgian Dream propaganda outlet Imedi TV, criticized the ruling party and Prime Minister Kobakhidze. He stated that the Georgian Dream narrative—that “if you don’t believe that Europe requested Georgia to get involved in the war between Russia and Ukraine, then every subsequent action taken by Georgian Dream is madness and cannot be explained.”
President Salome Zurabishvili has announced the formation of a new group of independent attorneys and lawyers dedicated to supporting arrested citizens, who are referred to as the regime’s prisoners. According to the president, the initiative aims to “protect our citizens, provide them with legal advice at the initial stage, and offer all the assistance they need.” For more updates on resistance and related developments, visit our Liveblog: Resistance.
The local watchdog, the Georgian Association of Young Lawyers (GYLA), has released a report stating that the prosecution and courts manipulated criminal charges and delayed criminal proceedings to repress protests. The report points out delays in court proceedings, the exclusive use of the harshest punishments—detention, mistreatment, and torture—and the systemic failures of the Special Investigation Service.
Irakli Shaishmelashvili, the former head of the Operational Planning Unit at the Interior Ministry’s Special Tasks Department, who announced his resignation on December 4 due to the department’s involvement in a brutal crackdown, left Georgia with his family. In a heartfelt message on Facebook, he expressed gratitude to those who supported him, including the President and the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi.
U.S. Representative Joe Wilson issued a stark warning on X, addressing Georgian billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili. Wilson referenced former President Donald Trump’s firm stance against America’s adversaries in his post and cautioned Ivanishvili against undermining Georgian democracy on December 29. “If Bidzina Ivanishvili goes through with his plan to destroy Georgian democracy on Dec 29, he should expect a response like he’s never imagined,” reads Wilson’s comment on X.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Senator Risch expressed strong support for the ongoing protests of the Georgian people against their government’s actions. “I applaud the people’s perseverance & commitment to a brighter future – despite hardships they’ve endured,” said Risch on X.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova demanded that Abkhazia “do its part” and sign the pending agreements with Russia in response to Moscow’s goodwill gesture to supply electricity to a crisis-stricken region from December 23 to the end of February. According to Zakharova, the Kremlin expects its preferred candidate to be elected de facto president in upcoming elections.