Notorious Zviad ‘Khareba’ Kharazishvili No Longer Head of MIA Special Tasks Department
Zviad Kharazishvili, who rose to notoriety for his role in violent crackdowns on protests, is no longer the head of the Interior Ministry’s Special Tasks Department amid a broader reshuffle within the ministry.
Kharazishvili, also known as “Khareba”, will be replaced by Roman Kartsivadze, MIA announced on June 10. No public information about Kartsivadze is currently available.
Zviad Kharazishvili had led the Interior Ministry’s Special Task Department since 2021. He came under public scrutiny following the spring 2024 protests against the Foreign Agents Law, and again after the violent dispersal of the pro-European protests that began on November 28, when Georgian Dream announced the major foreign policy shift away from the EU.
Kharazishvili has been sanctioned by the United States, the United Kingdom, the Baltic States, and the Czech Republic over his role in serious human rights abuses during the protests. Other Interior Ministry officials, including former Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri, have also been sanctioned.
Kharazishvili was among the Interior Ministry officials awarded on January 30 the Order of Honor by GD-elected President Mikheil Kavelashvili.
Dozens of activists and journalists were brutally beaten during protests, but no police officer has been held accountable for the abuses to date.
Kharazishvili’s replacement follows the appointment of Geka (Gela) Geladze as the new interior minister by the Georgian Dream government. It also comes amid a broader reshuffle within the ministry. It remains unknown whether Kharazishvili left the ministry or took on another role.
The MIA also announced the appointment of Mariam Tabatadze as deputy to GD’s new Interior Minister Geladze. Tabatadze previously worked at the Ministry of Finance (2005-2013) and has served as head of the Economic Department at the Ministry of Education since 2018, the statement noted.
Also Read:
- 19/05/2025 – Special Investigation Service to Fold Into Prosecutor’s Office
- 28/05/2024 – Special Tasks Department Chief Admits to Battering Targeted Protesters at anti-Agents Law Demonstrations
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