The leader of the Strong Georgia opposition, Mamuka Khazaradze, announced that the Prosecutor’s Office has summoned him as a witness for questioning. However, Khazaradze refuses to comply, stating that he is only willing to testify before a magistrate judge.
“It’s interesting—what exactly am I a witness to? That I refused to take part in a circus performance? Of course, they want to detain me. I am ready to appear before a magistrate judge at any time. I deliberately and consciously refused to attend an illegitimate parliamentary session or an obscure commission,” Khazaradze wrote.
The Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation against Khazaradze for failing to appear before the Georgian Dream-led parliamentary investigative commission.
Additionally, the commission has requested an investigation into another Strong Georgia leader, Badri Japaridze, who also refused to appear before the commission.
Georgian Dream proposed the Temporary Investigative Commission on January 9, 2025, to probe alleged crimes committed under the previous government. GD Executive Secretary Mamuka Mdinaradze stated that the commission’s scope includes cases of prisoner torture, political violence, business intimidation, media takeovers, and accusations related to the August 2008 war with Russia.
The commission was formally established on February 5 with an 83-member majority vote and is set to operate for three months. The eight-member body is chaired by former Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani and includes five representatives from Georgian Dream. The opposition quota is filled by members of the People’s Power and European Socialists parties.
