Opposition leader Elene Khoshtaria arrested over alleged banner damage

Elene Khoshtaria, founder of the opposition party Droa and member of the Coalition for Change, was detained near her home on Monday.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs later confirmed that Khoshtaria was arrested on charges of property damage under Article 187 of Georgia’s Criminal Code. She was subsequently transferred to a pre-trial detention centre. 

Footage shared by her party shows Khoshtaria leaving her building with plainclothes officers and getting into a vehicle. Her associate, Shushana Matsaberidze, told reporters that the authorities did not specify which police station she was being taken to.

The arrest followed an incident on 14 September, when Khoshtaria reportedly wrote “Russian Dream” on a campaign banner for Tbilisi mayoral candidate Kakha Kaladze on Melikishvili Avenue in central Tbilisi. Khoshtaria said her action was intended to support activist Megi Diasamidze, who was detained on similar charges on 10 September.

“People are being imprisoned for writing on a banner. I don’t care about their reaction. This is not a government acting with legal logic. They will arrest you whenever they want,” Khoshtaria said.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs launched an investigation into damage to the banner after complaints from representatives of the ruling Georgian Dream party. The law provides for penalties ranging from fines and community service to imprisonment of up to five years for “damage or destruction of another person’s property causing significant harm.”