Tbilisi City Court sentences activist Beka Papashvili to 7 days in jail

The Tbilisi City Court has sentenced activist Beka Papashvili to seven days in jail. The decision has sparked protests and clashes from his supporters.

Civil society activists and politicians, including representatives from the opposition party United National Movement (UNM), were present at the court to support Papashvili.

According to Tina Bokuchava, chairwoman of the UNM, the judge’s decision was politically motivated.

“The judge’s decision is political. Beka Papashvili called Tea Tsulukiani and everyone who insults the names of Georgia’s national heroes and tries to rewrite the country’s recent history what they truly are: traitors. Because of this, the judge imprisoned him, and then these henchmen—court security staff—physically threw everyone out of the courtroom. This is how Ivanishvili’s repressive machine tries to intimidate citizens,” Bokuchava said, referring to the ruling party founder, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili.

Papashvili was charged with verbally insulting Tea Tsulukiani, Parliament's temporary investigative commission head and ex-Culture Minister. The commission has been tasked with examining the actions of political officeholders and affiliated individuals from the 2003–2012 under the UNM-government and beyond.