Giorgi Baramidze, one of the leaders of the United National Movement (UNM), has been charged with high treason, specifically sabotage. This was announced at a special briefing by Deputy Prosecutor General of Georgia Amiran Guluashvili. According to him, the opposition politician’s detention was carried out pursuant to a court order.
“As the public is aware, in July of this year, on Iago Khvichia’s program ‘The Birth of Georgia,’ Giorgi Baramidze stated that during the initial stage of the 1992–1993 armed conflict in Abkhazia, representatives of the Georgian armed forces took no prisoners and executed them on the spot, thereby accusing the Georgian Armed Forces of violating international humanitarian law and committing grave war crimes.
The investigation conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia conclusively ruled out any instances of the execution of prisoners of war by representatives of the Georgian Armed Forces or other combatants during the armed conflict—a fact that was already known to both the public and the international community and had never been a subject of debate.
The information disseminated by Giorgi Baramidze is baseless and fabricated; it is of a deliberate ideological and informational nature, intended to harm Georgia’s state and national interests, external security, defense capabilities, and state institutions.
Giorgi Baramidze’s statement damaged Georgia’s international standing and image, while creating legal and political risks that could reinforce and facilitate the use of anti-Georgian information campaigns and legal proceedings in international forums. His remarks harmed the reputation of the Defense Forces of Georgia and infringed upon the honor and dignity of Abkhazia war veterans and fallen service members.
Furthermore, Giorgi Baramidze’s actions jeopardized the process of reconciliation and confidence-building with the conflict-affected population, undermined Georgia’s policy of peace and de-occupation, and disrupted the normal operations of state agencies, including the activities of the Office of the State Minister of Georgia for Reconciliation and Civic Equality and the effective functioning of the trust- and cooperation-building mechanisms it established.
Based on the results of the investigation and the evidence obtained, Giorgi Baramidze is being charged with high treason, specifically sabotage, which carries a statutory penalty of up to four years of imprisonment.
Within the time frame established by law, the Prosecutor’s Office will file a motion requesting that the court order pre-trial detention as a preventive measure against the accused.
The investigation into the case is ongoing, and the public will be provided with further information regarding its progress and findings,” Guluashvili stated.
According to the Deputy Prosecutor General of Georgia, the charges brought against Giorgi Baramidze carry a sentence of up to four years in prison.