Opposition Politician Nika Melia Put in Pretrial Detention
The court placed Ahali party co-chair and Coalition for Change leader Nika Melia in pretrial detention on May 30 for refusing to pay the bail imposed after defying the summons of the Georgian Dream parliament’s temporary investigative commission.
Another leader of the Coalition for Change, Zurab Japaridze of the Girchi–More Freedom party, was placed in pretrial detention on May 22 under similar circumstances. Former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili was also sent to pretrial detention on May 14 for refusing to post bail in the same case. The move to replace Melia’s bail with pretrial detention was thus widely anticipated. A similar decision is pending for Nika Gvaramia, another opposition figure and leader of Ahali and the Coalition for Change, who is likewise refusing to post bail.
The cases stem from opposition leaders’ refusal to appear before the GD parliament’s temporary investigative commission probing alleged crimes committed by former United National Movement government officials. The opposition rejects cooperating with the one-party parliament, considering it illegitimate following the disputed October 26, 2024, parliamentary elections.
Controversial Arrest
Nika Melia was detained in Tbilisi the day before his court hearing. The Interior Ministry claimed he was detained for insulting police officers, which is an administrative offense, while the opposition alleged “abduction” because Melia had said he would not attend the scheduled hearing. Following his detention, Melia decided to attend the trial to recount the details of his arrest.
He said he was detained around 9 p.m. near Lisi Lake in Tbilisi while en route to record an episode of a social media show. Melia recounted that police stopped the car and asked his driver for a license, while a voice on the police radio inquired whether “the object was in the car,” signaling the imminent arrest.
“I was abducted by 11 people. There were no signs that they were policemen…It was an abduction – they dragged me into the car using force and took my phone by force…One of them tried several times to put the phone to my face [to unlock it], which couldn’t happen in the van,” Melia said.
“So, you were planning to pay the bail, and the arrest prevented you from doing so?” Judge Irakli Shvangiradze asked Melia. The opposition politician, dismissing the official version of his arrest over the alleged administrative offense of insulting police, grew furious at the judge’s apparent lack of interest in what he claimed was his “abduction.” “When you ask me if I was going to pay the bail, isn’t it interesting what I just recalled?” he retorted.
Tense Hearing
Tensions flared in the courtroom when Melia splashed water from a bottle at Judge Shvangiradze, accusing him of being part of a “criminal chain” within the judiciary and negligent in Melia’s arrest. Melia was expelled from the courtroom.
The scenes inside and outside the courthouse were reminiscent of the day another opposition leader, Zurab Japaridze, was arrested. Supporters gathered in anticipation of Melia’s arrest were denied entry to the courtyard. Cameramen were not allowed inside the building, forcing journalists to report via phones. Despite the heightened public interest, the hearing was held in a cramped room. In addition, water cannons were stationed nearby.
Judge Shvangiradze granted the prosecution’s motion to replace bail with pretrial detention. A final ruling in the case, which concerns the criminal offense of noncompliance with Parliament’s temporary investigative commission, can be a fine or up to one year in prison.
Controversial Commission
The Georgian Dream parliament’s temporary investigative commission, chaired by GD veteran and former justice and culture minister Tea Tsulukiani, is tasked with investigating alleged crimes committed by the United National Movement government. It has summoned both alleged victims and former officials – now opposition leaders, most of whom have refused to appear. The exception was Giorgi Gakharia, former GD prime minister and current leader of the opposition For Georgia party, who testified but maintained that doing so did not constitute recognition of the GD parliament’s legitimacy.
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.
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