Lawyer for opposition leader Gvaramia: witnesses in sabotage case are giving false testimony

The lawyer for opposition politician Nika Gvaramia has accused witnesses in the so-called sabotage case of giving false testimony, saying their allegations are based on interpretations of the defendants' gestures.

Ketevan Chomakhashvili, Gvaramia's lawyer, said the defence had placed particular emphasis on testimony concerning former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, arguing that he had never been at the centre of events outside parliament.

"The context of Gakharia is very important because we all know that he was never at the centre of the events taking place outside parliament. For us, the defence, the emphasis on this is important only because it shows that the witnesses appearing in court are lying and are not providing accurate information," Chomakhashvili said.

She said the witnesses had also failed to provide specific testimony against the defendants.

"We have called this the 'gestures case', and that is what it really is," she said.

"They speak about the defendants in terms of gestures. Their perception is that, through gestures, the defendants were calling on people to enter parliament," Chomakhashvili added.

Georgia's Prosecutor General's Office launched criminal proceedings in November 2025 against Mikheil Saakashvili, Giorgi Vashadze, Nika Gvaramia, Nika Melia, Zurab Japaridze, Elene Khoshtaria, Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze.