Opposition leader Japaridze accuses prosecutors, court of following Ivanishvili's instructions

Opposition leader Badri Japaridze has accused Georgia's prosecution service and judiciary of acting on instructions issued by Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and honorary chair of the ruling party, following a court hearing in the so-called sabotage case.

Speaking to reporters after the proceedings, Japaridze claimed that efforts were being made to accelerate the case and argued that such actions were damaging to the country.

"The prosecution is carrying out instructions it has received, and everyone knows that these instructions come from one person. They have been told to speed up the process, and the court is meticulously doing what the prosecution asks of it," Japaridze said.

He added that the individual allegedly issuing such instructions may consider the accelerated proceedings politically beneficial, but argued that the approach was harmful to Georgia's interests.

The hearing at Tbilisi City Court was held behind closed doors.

Georgia's General Prosecutor's Office launched criminal proceedings in November last year against several opposition figures, including Mikheil Saakashvili, Giorgi Vashadze, Nika Gvaramia, Nika Melia, Zurab Japaridze, Elene Khoshtaria, Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze in connection with the case.

The prosecution has previously outlined its allegations, while the defendants have rejected the accusations and described the case as politically motivated.