“Until we get used to the fact that legal liability must be established through legal mechanisms, rather than political motives or inhumanity, we will continue to walk in circles.” These are the words of opposition leader Elene Khoshtaria, who spoke out in support of her political opponent, former Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili. While in detention herself, she urged society to defend even those from whom it is separated by an ideological chasm.
On November 2, the Tbilisi City Court heard a new case against Garibashvili. During the hearing, the former prime minister stated that he had been subjected to “psychological torture.” The Prosecutor’s Office found no grounds to launch an investigation.
It was against this backdrop that Khoshtaria, leader of the opposition party Droa! (“It’s Time!”), spoke out in his defense, describing the ex-premier as a victim of political repression.
Meanwhile, the opposition politician has been in prison herself for over a year. Footage showing her being transferred from the Rustavi women’s penal colony to a clinic in a wheelchair recently sparked widespread public resonance. Khoshtaria has been diagnosed with an inflammatory spinal disease, accompanied by severe pain and restricted mobility. According to the Droa party, she requires regular examinations and monthly administration of a specialized medication. The opposition and human rights advocates place responsibility for her health on the ruling Georgian Dream party and Bidzina Ivanishvili personally.
Yet how did a mother of four draw the party’s wrath upon herself? In recent years, Elene Khoshtaria has consistently been at the forefront of protest events. One of the most prominent episodes was the so-called “Gavrilov’s Night” on June 20, 2019. After Russian lawmaker Sergey Gavrilov took the seat of the speaker of the Georgian parliament, Khoshtaria, along with other opposition figures, blocked the podium and demanded that the session be adjourned. That same evening, thousands of people took to the streets of Tbilisi, sparking mass protests.
She also opposed visits to Georgia by Vladimir Pozner and representatives of the Russian political elite, exposing the ties between Georgian politicians, businessmen, and Russia. In response, propaganda branded her an agent, bringing up her studies at MGIMO (Moscow State Institute of International Relations) and royalty payments from the Russian Federation received by her father, an heir of the renowned theatrical designer Simon Virsaladze, who had worked at the Mariinsky Theatre. Incidentally, just days ago, the activities of the Droa party were declared “undesirable” on the territory of Russia.
According to some reports, Khoshtaria’s health issues began in the fall of 2021, when she went on a 17-day hunger strike in solidarity with Mikheil Saakashvili, demanding his transfer from a prison hospital to a civilian clinic. At the same time, she emphasized that while she had no wish to see him in power or even in Georgia, she regarded cruelty toward Saakashvili as cruelty toward all citizens.
In March 2025, following her detention at a protest rally, Khoshtaria reported that she had been forcibly stripped naked during a search in a detention facility. According to the opposition leader, police officers held her with her arms twisted behind her back, subjecting her to a humiliating procedure. She was the first to speak out openly about this practice. Dozens of female activists followed her example.
Currently, the opposition leader is serving a sentence for writing “Russian Dream” on a campaign banner of the Tbilisi mayor. Authorities charged her under a criminal statute rather than an administrative one. She categorically refused to post bail during the pretrial restraint hearing. Elene Khoshtaria explained her decision as a matter of principle.
