Case against opposition leaders will go to ECHR, Japaridze

Zurab Japaridze, one of the leaders of the Coalition for Change, has said a criminal case involving several Georgian opposition leaders will be taken to the European Court of Human Rights, claiming there is no evidence against any of the defendants.

“This case will definitely go to Strasbourg. There is no evidence in the case against anyone,” Japaridze said on Tuesday.

He added the court proceedings were likely to conclude by the end of July or in mid-August.

Japaridze claimed police officers were being presented as witnesses because of the lack of evidence and accused them of acting dishonestly.

“The witnesses remember nothing and cannot or will not say anything specific. Everything is fabricated,” he said.

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