One of the leaders of the coalition “Strong Georgia – Lelo“, Aleksandre Elisashvili, has been arrested on charges of attempting to set fire to the Tbilisi City Court Chancellery. Video footage released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs shows that Aleko Elisashvili has bruising around both eyes.
News
Trending stories
- 1 BBC investigation: WWI–Era Chemical Weapons Used to Disperse Tbilisi Protests
- 2 The Strasbourg Court Has Begun the Substantive Hearing of Gela Mtivlishvili's Case
- 3 Georgian Dream to Initiate Legal Dispute Against BBC
- 4 Georgian Citizens Abroad Lose Right to Vote in Parliamentary Elections
- 5 Judge Khuchua Challenges Georgian Dream Laws at Constitutional Court
- 6 Report: EU Commission Considers Georgia “Candidate Country in Name Only”
According to the GD Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), the investigation has revealed that on 29 November, at dawn, a masked Aleksandre Elisashvili used a hammer to break the glass of the outer facade of the Tbilisi City Court Chancellery, entered the building, poured petrol around the perimeter, including on stationery, equipment, and documents, and attempted to set the building on fire. Elisashvili was caught by representatives of the court bailiff's service at the scene. The Ministry also states that the politician resisted them using a firearm he was carrying and physically assaulted them.
Despite the resistance, Aleksandre Elisashvili was immediately arrested by bailiffs. One of the bailiffs was taken to a medical facility because of injuries sustained during the confrontation. Aleksandre Elisashvili also suffered injuries because of his resistance during the arrest, the MIA said.
The investigation is being conducted under Article 19-187 of the Criminal Code, which concerns the attempted damage or destruction of property. The offence is punishable by a fine, community service for a term of 100 to 180 hours, corrective labour for up to one year, house arrest for a term of six months to two years, or imprisonment for one to five years.
“We saw from the MIA records that he was beaten. We haven't met yet to find out what caused this. I think this is a provocation organised by the government. It is absurd when a person lives in Mtatsminda and goes to the court at 5 a.m. and tries to set fire to and burn down the building. There are also many state buildings nearby,” said lawyer Giorgi Rekhviashvili, before meeting with the detained Elisashvili.
After meeting with the detainee, lawyer Rekhviashvili told the media that Aleko Elisashvili did indeed arrive at the Tbilisi City Court at dawn on 29 November and intended to set fire to the building as a sign of protest.
“He expressed a protest against the unfair trial. “Fire to the oligarchy and fire to the unfair trial”, - he asked me to convey these words. The only thing he regrets is that he was a few seconds short of finishing the action.
He chose Saturday morning, early, to ensure no one would get hurt.
He wanted the public to see how many people this court is convicting illegally and unjustly and how the regime is using this to consolidate the dictatorship,’ the lawyer said. According to him, he had been trying to meet with Aleko Elisashvili since 10 a.m.
According to the lawyer, bailiffs inflicted injuries on Elisashvili while he was already handcuffed.
Immediately after the Ministry of Internal Affairs released the video footage, doubts were raised that Aleksandre Elisashvili had sustained injuries around both eyes at least several hours earlier, as the bruising is dark and the swelling has already subsided.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has not yet released any recordings from the video surveillance system installed in the court building.
It should be noted that Russia sentenced Aleksandre Elisashvili to 6 years in prison in absentia three months ago. He was convicted under Part 3 of Article 359 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which refers to the mercenary activity in an armed conflict.
According to the Russian Investigative Committee, the Supreme Court of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic ruled that in March 2022, Elisashvili joined armed operations in Ukraine, underwent military training, and received a personal firearm. Russia has declared Elisashvili an international wanted person.
Aleksandre Elisashvili served as a member of the Parliament of Georgia from 2020 to 2024. On 15 April 2024, during a session of the Legal Affairs Committee where Mamuka Mdinaradze, the leader of the parliamentary majority, was presenting the “Agents Law,” Elisashvili cursed him and punched him in the face.
“I was trying to cooperate with them; I was trying to talk to them like a human... but they are dragging us towards Russia! He has no shame left; he’s talking about the white and says it’s green. Now it’s time to protest in the streets. They are dragging us towards Russia. I am fed up with it, and that is why I punched him, and then they beat me too. What I hate the most are bribe-takers and Russian agents,” said Elisashvili after leaving the parliament building.
Currently, Mamuka Mdinaradze is the head of the State Security Service of the Georgian Dream government.
