Opposition leader Zurab Japaridze released after seven months in prison

Zurab Japaridze, leader of the opposition party Girchi - More Freedom, has been released from Rustavi Prison after serving seven months in detention.

Japaridze was formally charged on 16 April for failing to appear before a parliamentary investigative commission. On the same day, a court imposed bail of 20,000 lari (approximately $7,400), which the politician refused to pay.

As a result, on 22 May, the court replaced bail with pre-trial detention, and Japaridze was taken into custody.

Japaridze’s imprisonment drew criticism from opposition figures and civil society groups, who described the case as politically motivated. The authorities have rejected such claims, insisting that the legal process was conducted in accordance with the law.