Ruling party MP Cheishvili: no one persecuting ex-PM Garibashvili, he is serving his sentence ‘lawfully’

No one is persecuting former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, and he is serving his sentence lawfully after cooperating with the investigation and admitting his guilt, Georgian Dream MP Irakli Cheishvili said on Tuesday. 

Cheishvili was responding to another letter by Garibashvili, who is currently in prison, and described his statements as speculation.

“We are not politically persecuting anyone. Anyone can express their opinion. Mr. Garibashvili has said that he has returned to politics. Perhaps he will establish a political party and continue his political activities, but any statement he has made so far is speculation,” Cheishvili said.

“We are not persecuting or blackmailing anyone. What he is talking about is merely his own perception. It is very regrettable that a former leader of our team and former prime minister has been misled,” he added.

He added there has been no “stab in the back” by the ruling team, as Garibashvili himself cooperated with the investigation and admitted his guilt.

“He is serving his sentence lawfully. The fact is that he has been misled. No one is persecuting Irakli Garibashvili - no one is persecuting [ex-President] Mikheil Saakashvili either. Every convicted person is serving their sentence fairly,” Cheishvili said.