Prosecutor’s Office charges Paata Burchuladze, opposition figures with attempted seizure of strategic facility, calls for overthrow of Gov’t

The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia on Monday filed criminal charges against Paata Burchuladze, Murtaz Zodelava, Irakli Nadiradze, Paata Manjgaladze, and Lasha Beridze for organizing and leading group violence on October 4, attempting to seize a strategic and high-importance facility, calling for the violent overthrow of the constitutional order, and inciting the removal of state authority.

The PoG claimed Burchuladze, Zodelava, and Nadiradze had allegedly issued public calls, days before the 4 October local elections and planned opposition rally to "peacefully overthrow” the government, urging citizens hostile to the government to mobilize and participate in “violent actions” aimed at overthrowing state authority. The three reportedly encouraged “revolutionary” participation, declaring that the government would be toppled through coordinated mass involvement.

Investigators said that on election day, 4 October, Burchuladze, Zodelava, Nadiradze, Beridze, Manjgaladze, and others had organized and directed group violence, publicly announcing their plans via mass media. During a protest rally held on Freedom Square, Burchuladze presented a plan calling for the immediate capture of individual government representatives and the application of “unlawful measures” against those deemed undesirable.

Following his speech, Zodelava “urged demonstrators” to move together toward the Presidential Administration building - a facility classified as strategic and of special importance - and to seize it by force, instructing participants not to obey law enforcement.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the group and its supporters marched from Freedom Square toward the Presidential Administration, where they damaged fences, set fires, and destroyed public and private property in nearby streets, using debris to build barricades against police. Upon reaching the building, participants breached the fence and entered the courtyard, assaulting law enforcement officers verbally and physically, and pelting them with stones and other heavy objects.

The statement said that the coordinated actions had caused significant damage to the facility’s perimeter fence and surrounding infrastructure. “Authorities ultimately prevented” the planned seizure through “active operational measures,” after which the five named suspects were detained on site.

Burchuladze, Zodelava, and Nadiradze have been charged under Articles 19-222(2)(a) (attempted seizure or blockade of a strategic facility committed by a group), 225(1) (organization and leadership of group violence), and 317 (incitement to overthrow the constitutional order by force) of the Georgian Criminal Code - offenses punishable by up to nine years in prison.

Beridze faces charges under Articles 19-222(2)(a) and 225(1), while Manjgaladze has been charged under Article 225(1) alone, each carrying a potential prison sentence of up to nine years.

The PoG also thanked the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Security Service, and the Special State Protection Service “for conducting high-standard special operations on 4 October.”