Georgian opposition leader fined for insulting official in Facebook post

A Tbilisi court has fined Elene Khoshtaria, an opposition figure and leader of the Coalition for Change, 4,000 GEL and imposed a three-year ban on her right to bear arms.

The ruling was issued by Judge Davit Tetrauli following a lawsuit filed by Mamuka Mdinaradze, executive secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party. The case concerned a Facebook post made by Khoshtaria, which Mdinaradze claimed was offensive.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs charged Khoshtaria under Article 173-16 of Georgia’s Code of Administrative Offenses, which covers insulting a state official. The article allows for penalties ranging from a fine of 1,500 to 4,000 GEL, or up to 45 days of administrative detention.