საინფორმაციო სააგენტო ინტერპრესნიუსი

“These arrests are happening because there is no other way for them to maintain their power — because the regime needs to escalate tensions more and more and show its strength that way. If they weren’t afraid of us being free, they wouldn’t arrest us. We know very well that they are afraid,” – said Giorgi Vashadze, leader of Strategy Aghmashenebeli, on PalitraNews's program 360 Degrees.

"I expressed serious concern over the continuous erosion of democratic foundations in Georgia at the Foreign Affairs Council," – EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, wrote on X.

"This should be a push for the democratic spectrum to consolidate and form a united front, under which the regime will change instantly," said Tinatin Bokuchava, Chairperson of the "National Movement," regarding the detention of "Lelo – Strong Georgia" leaders Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze.

"Did they appear before the commission? No. According to Georgian legislation, is failure to appear a crime? Yes. Therefore, people committed a crime and were given the appropriate punishment," said Mamuka Mdinaradze, Executive Secretary of "Georgian Dream," assessing the detention of "Lelo – Strong Georgia" leaders Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze.

"Our goal is to punish those specific individuals who are violating human rights in Georgia," – this is how the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, responded to a question from Tamar Nutsubidze, editor of Euroscope, regarding the arrest of opposition politicians in Georgia and possible sanctions.

"While the world looks elsewhere, Georgia’s ruling party, following rigged elections, is imprisoning opponents one after another," stated European Parliament member Natalie Loiseau in response to the verdicts issued against Zurab Girchi Japaridze, one of the leaders of the "Coalition for Change," and Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, leaders of "Lelo – Strong Georgia."

"We are ready to consider additional restrictive measures against those responsible for repressions in Georgia," stated Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, during a press conference following the conclusion of the EU Foreign Affairs Ministers’ meeting.

"We will not back down under any circumstances because of this; on the contrary, we will fight even more unitedly," said Giorgi Vashadze, leader of "Strategy Aghmashenebeli," in response to the detention of "Lelo – Strong Georgia" leaders Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze.

"Behind each detained person stand many people and a firm resolve not to reconcile with what is happening in the country. This is a clear and open move toward establishing a Russian model," said Dimitri Tskitishvili, a member of the "For Georgia" party, outside the office of "Lelo – Strong Georgia" after the detention of Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, where he arrived with his teammates to support the detained leaders.

The leaders of "Lelo – Strong Georgia," Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, have been detained.

The arrests of Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze are yet another act of mockery by Georgia’s captured, bandit-like occupational regime, wrote Georgia’s third President, Mikheil Saakashvili, on social media.

"Politically, such repressions are always a sign of weakness; this is the beginning of the end," stated Georgia’s fifth President, Salome Zurabishvili, to journalists at the office of "Lelo – Strong Georgia" after a judge sentenced Badri Japaridze and Mamuka Khazaradze to 8 months in prison each for failing to appear before a parliamentary temporary investigative commission.

They will not break us. This disgraceful behavior by Bidzina Ivanishvili will end with his removal from power by the Georgian people, – said Badri Japaridze, one of the leaders of Lelo – Strong Georgia, following the court's verdict against him.

"Solidarity with Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, and all political prisoners of the 'Dream' regime," reads a statement from the "For Georgia" party.

"Georgian Dream" is amending the Law "On Freedom of Speech and Expression" – by the decision of the parliamentary majority, several provisions of this law are being removed, and issues related to freedom of speech and expression are being regulated in a new manner.

The leader of Lelo – For Strong Georgia, Badri Japaridze, has been found guilty by the court for failing to comply with the request of the Parliament’s Temporary Investigative Commission.

According to Maia Mtsariashvili, the lawyer of Mzia Amaghlobeli, founder of "Batumelebi" and "Netgazeti," Mzia had vision problems even before her detention, and her condition has worsened since then.

Salome Zurabishvili, the fifth President of Georgia, arrived at the office of Lelo – Strong Georgia.

“We can take back Tbilisi if we all come out! That’s what I believe, and I will prove to our friends in prison — to Zura, to Nika, and to Nika — that this is the only right path,” said Lelo – Strong Georgia leader Mamuka Khazaradze during a meeting with party members at the party office, after a judge sentenced him to 8 months in prison for failing to appear before the Parliament’s temporary investigative commission.

“To hell with anyone who gets scared of Bidzina!” – said Mamuka Khazaradze, leader of Lelo – Strong Georgia, during a meeting with party members at the party office, after a judge sentenced him to 8 months in prison for failing to appear before the Parliament’s temporary investigative commission.

“Act according to what your conscience tells you,” – this is what Mzia Amaghlobeli, founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti, told judge Nino Sakhelashvili during the court hearing. According to Amaghlobeli, the judge is under political pressure. At today’s hearing, she expressed solidarity with prisoners of conscience.

“Nika Gvaramia, Zura Japaridze, Irakli Okruashvili, Mamuka Khazaradze, and Badri Japaridze did not recognize this system, and they continue not to recognize it — even at the cost of going to prison. Full solidarity with all of them. We must continue the fight with exactly the same determination — non-recognition, non-acceptance, delegitimization, and removal of these people,” said Elene Khoshtaria, one of the leaders of the “Coalition for Change,” during a briefing.

"You must not defy the law. In any European country, failing to appear before a commission carries heavy consequences. In the U.S., the measures are even stricter. The law requires enforcement by certain structures, and 'Georgian Dream' has nothing to do with it," said Gia Volski, the First Vice-Speaker of Parliament, commenting on the prison sentences imposed on opposition politicians Zurab Japaridze and Mamuka Khazaradze for failing to appear before a parliamentary investigative commission.