Gela Khasaia, a Georgian civil activist and member of opposition party Girchi – More Freedom, was released from prison on September 29, 2026, after serving a one-year sentence over an assault conviction.
His supporters say the case exemplifies the growing pressure on government critics in the country.
Khasaia’s imprisonment last year was controversial and contested. On September 29, 2025, he was arrested alongside Georgian civil activist and fellow member of Girichi Vasil Kerdikoshvili, with prosecutors alleging they had jointly injured a man named Ramuz Chaduneli near Tamar Mepe Avenue in Tbilisi on September 1.
They were both charged under Article 118(2) of Georgia’s Criminal Code despite no video evidence connecting Khasaia to the assault. Chaduneli identified Kerdikoshvili in court but did not name Khasaia as one of his attackers.
Khasaia, his lawyers, and his supporters have consequently argued that the Georgian authorities wanted a criminal basis to imprison him due to his political activities and used the September 1 assault to do so.
Lawyer Omar Purtseladze, for one, described the proceedings as political persecution and claimed Khasaia had previously been threatened with eventual criminal prosecution due to his activism.
Khasaia’s arrest occurred during a period of increasing confrontation between the ruling Georgian Dream party and its opponents, following the disputed 2024 parliamentary election and months of anti-government demonstrations.
Read more: “We are the scapegoats”: Wave of pro-EU Georgian protestors sentenced to prison
Opposition leaders, activists and protesters have since faced imprisonment or other legal penalties, prompting international organisations to raise concerns about the use of Georgia’s justice system against government critics.
Amnesty International has documented what it describes as politically motivated prosecutions and unfair trials targeting protesters and opposition figures. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has similarly criticised proceedings against opposition politicians and civil society representatives.
Read more: OSCE moves to launch investigative mission over Georgian human rights concerns
Georgian authorities have rejected accusations that criminal prosecutions, including the arrest of Khasaia, are criminally motivated, whilst his supporters viewed the assault allegation as a possible mechanism for removing another opposition activist from public life.
Khasaia’s release this week is the result of his eventual decision to accept a plea agreement in May. He received a four-year sentence; comprising one year in prison and three years suspended.
His lawyer said the agreement was a pragmatic one: continuing to contest the prosecution could have exposed Khasaia to several additional years behind bars. As it stands, he remains subject to a three-year suspended sentence.
After leaving prison, Khasaia said he intends to continue his political and civic activities rather than withdraw from public life.
Featured image: Girchi – More Freedom via X
