According to Giorgi Kondakhishvili, lawyer of Levan Khabeishvili, one of the leaders of the “United National Movement,” the charge for which he was arrested is absurd.

Kondakhishvili is at the State Security Service building, where Khabeishvili has been taken. He is waiting to meet with the detained politician, after which more details about the case will be known.

“In this country, nothing is surprising — where a young student is arrested for a banner inscription, I am not at all surprised by this legal absurdity regarding Levan Khabeishvili. A few seconds ago, I learned from the briefing that the charge accuses him of several public statements he made as a politician, in which he spoke about a future reward from the government for police officers and law enforcement for conscientiously performing their duties. He was saying that the police should not unlawfully use force against people, and that the future government would recognize them with certain rewards. To frame this as offering or promising a bribe, in my legal opinion, is completely absurd.

I think they could have invented a more serious article, but there is no basis. They went the simple route, knowing that the court is also under their control — whatever charge they write, it will pass. They invented this absurd accusation and assessed a person, who always said on every broadcast, ‘Police, do not violate rights, do not use force against people; the legitimate government will reward you for this,’ as if it were an offer of a bribe,” Kondakhishvili stated.