Akhalaia accused security forces of pressuring

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Former Georgian Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaia, arrested on charges of organizing violence at a protest, stated that he testified under pressure from security forces, who threatened to arrest his wife.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, on December 25, it became known that former Georgian Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaia was detained in a criminal case related to the riots that occurred on October 4, 2025. According to the State Security Service, Akhalaia was the main organizer of the rally. On December 27, the court ordered his arrest.

Bacho Akhalaia stated at a court hearing on December 27 that his spouses had threatened to arrest him, demanding he testify against Paata Burchuladze and Murtaza Zodelava, organizers of the October 4 rally, according to Novosti-Gruzia.

According to Akhalaia, the State Security Service gave him 15 minutes to "point to Murtaza Zodelava and Paata Burchuladze," otherwise, they threatened to detain his wife and leave their child an orphan.

The former defense minister does not deny that he communicated with both rally organizers, but they have a long-standing friendship. "I will get those who demanded that I testify against my friends, even from the other world," he added.

For their part, the State Security Service of Georgia called Akhalaia's statement "unacceptable, immoral, and an obvious lie." The agency's statement stated that attempts to accuse employees of threats "testify to Akhalaia's personal qualities, which are also important in criminal proceedings."

As a reminder, on October 4, the day of municipal elections, thousands of people gathered in central Tbilisi. After opera singer Paata Burchaladze declared that power in Georgia belongs to the people, clashes between protesters and security forces erupted near the presidential palace. Security forces used riot gear, while protesters used firecrackers. Six demonstrators and 21 security forces were hospitalized, and another 30 people received medical treatment on the spot. Police have opened a criminal case in connection with calls to overthrow the government, an attack on police officers, and the storming of the presidential palace.

Among those detained are five protest leaders: opera singer Paata Burchuladze (who was escorted by security forces from a clinic where he was taken by ambulance after the rally), Secretary General of the Strategy Agmashenebeli party Paata Manjgaladze, former Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces Colonel Lasha Beridze, and United National Movement activists Murtaz Zodelava and Irakli Nadiradze. They have been arrested on charges of organizing group violence, calls to overthrow the government, and attempting to seize the presidential palace. They face up to nine years in prison; all five refused to plead guilty.

The attempt to seize the presidential palace was doomed to failure and gave the current government a new opportunity to pressure the opposition. The only chance for a peaceful change of power remains if the opposition overcomes its disunity, analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" indicated.

Municipal elections were held in all municipalities of Georgia on October 4. Candidates from the ruling Georgian Dream were elected mayor in all 64 cities where elections were held, receiving 100% of the vote in 26 of them. These elections will determine the political balance in Georgia for the coming years, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Municipal Elections in Georgia on October 4, 2025".

The "Caucasian Knot" has compiled materials about the past municipal elections and protests by opposition supporters on the thematic page "Georgia: Post-Election Protests".