“This [Elene Khoshtaria’s imprisonment] is a kind of signal to everyone of us who are outside, but our response is that ‘trading in prisoners’ will not happen! I want to tell Elene (she knows this better than me) that being in prison is not isolation and not being cut off from the process. Being there is one very important stage of resistance,” said Giga Lemonjava, a representative of the party “Droa” and the opposition alliance, during a briefing.

According to him, they know that “the regime is most hurt by non-recognition and resistance, and that is precisely why Elene Khoshtaria is being punished.”

“We all know very well that in reality there is no ‘marker’ as a real basis for political persecution against Elene. Elene was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months because she did not admit guilt, because she did not cooperate, because she resisted, because she did everything for the dismantling of the Russian regime. Of course, she will continue doing this.

This is also a kind of signal to all of us who are outside. It is a kind of threat to everyone, but our response is the following - ‘trading in prisoners’ will not happen. Our vision of victory against Ivanishvili’s regime is through its collapse. That moment will definitely come. The fight for freedom, for justice, for the true European future of this country cannot be stopped by any prison, by fear of prison, or by political retribution.

Being alongside Elene Khoshtaria in this struggle is a privilege and an honor for each of us. Her actions throughout this period have been not just emotional, but absolutely rational and pragmatic.

We know what hurts the regime the most - non-recognition and resistance. That is why Elene Khoshtaria is being punished. Ivanishvili is a man who cannot understand why a person would go to prison for values, for love of the homeland. He cannot understand that there are people who serve their country, its European future, sovereignty, and independence selflessly and are ready to sacrifice their personal freedom for this cause.

I want to tell Elene - she knows this better than me - that being in prison is not isolation. It is a very important stage of resistance. Big things can be done from prison. We will continue working with her and do great things together until she is released and afterwards, to ensure that the regime collapses, and that the country returns to a normal path of development, to a European future, and to the well-being of its citizens. Today we are as determined as I have ever been,” Lemonjava said.

For context, Elene Khoshtaria was found guilty of damaging Kaha Kaladze’s election banner. The decision was made by Tbilisi City Court judge Giorgi Arevadze, who sentenced her to 1 year and 6 months in prison.