Opposition leader Giorgi Vashadze released from prison after seven-month sentence

Giorgi Vashadze, the leader of the opposition party Strategy Agmashenebeli, has been released from prison after serving a seven-month sentence.

Vashadze left Rustavi Penitentiary Institution No. 12, where he was met by family members and supporters.

The Tbilisi City Court sentenced Vashadze on 24 June 2025 to seven months in prison for failing to appear before a temporary parliamentary investigative commission probing alleged crimes under the previous United National Movement government. The court also barred him from holding public office for a period of two years.

Speaking after his release on Friday, Vashadze said the time in prison had been difficult, particularly because of separation from his family, including his children and wife. However, he said his belief in eventual victory had remained strong throughout his imprisonment.

He said he was optimistic and determined, and expressed gratitude to supporters who had sent letters, including from abroad. He also paid tribute to what he described as “prisoners of conscience” - those arrested during anti-government protests last year - and other detainees, praising their resilience and the support of their families.

Vashadze also thanked participants in ongoing protests in central Tbilisi and said he believed Georgia would ultimately become a just and democratic country, integrated with Europe and represented internationally as a strong and free state.

He said his goal was for Georgia to become a country where no one is imprisoned for holding different political views.