As per reports, on Monday (23 June), Georgian judicial authorities sentenced three senior opposition figures, Mamuka Khazaradze, Badri Japaridze, and Zurab Japaridze, to custodial sentences, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing political crisis.

• The development follows the contested parliamentary elections of October 2024, in which the ruling Georgian Dream party retained power amidst widespread allegations of electoral irregularities.
• The opposition’s rejection of the election outcome led to prolonged public demonstrations, which intensified following the government’s decision to suspend European Union accession negotiations.
• Khazaradze and Japaridze, joint leaders of the Lelo party, were each sentenced to eight months of imprisonment and disqualified from holding public office for a period of two years for their refusal to testify before a parliamentary commission.
• Similarly, Zurab Japaridze, leader of the Girchi party—already in pre-trial detention since May 2025, was sentenced to seven months’ imprisonment and received the same disqualification.
• Opposition parties and human rights groups have raised concerns over the legitimacy of the legal proceedings, characterising them as politically motivated actions aimed at suppressing dissent and consolidating power.