Opposition leader Ugulava denounces his trial as ‘political persecution’

Gigi Ugulava, a leader of the opposition party Unity - National Movement, has denounced his ongoing trial at Tbilisi City Court as a form of political persecution, calling the case against him "absurd."

Speaking outside the courtroom, Ugulava said, "I will not begin to discuss this specific case, it is absurd in itself, just like the vast majority of court trials held in these halls. This is ordinary political persecution."

The charges stem from an incident during a protest rally against halted EU integration, where Ugulava is accused of blocking a road near the Tbilisi Mall earlier this year. Authorities claim the demonstration disrupted public order, while opposition figures argue it was a peaceful protest aimed at defending democratic freedoms.

Ugulava, a former mayor of Tbilisi and long-time political figure, accused the ruling government of eroding democratic institutions and warned of an increasingly authoritarian climate. "A dictatorship has already been established in the country," he said. "The regime only has a few steps left to fully establish a dictatorship."