The case refers to November-December 2024, but these people gave their testimonies in May 2025. They themselves say they saw an unimaginable crime - how we were “overthrowing the state” - yet they didn’t tell anyone at work that they had seen something like that, - stated Zurab (Zura) Japaridze, one of the leaders of the “Coalition for Change” and one of the accused in the so-called sabotage case, before the start of the court hearing.

According to him, because there is no evidence in the case, it includes testimonies from 12 police officers who claim that they could not hear the politicians’ voices, but saw them gesturing to the crowd to storm the Parliament building.

“Because there is no evidence in the case, they have included, if I remember correctly, testimonies from 12 police officers. These people all say the same thing: that they saw us standing among the crowd, but they don’t remember what we were wearing, where we were standing, whether there was a stage, whether we had a microphone or a megaphone. They didn’t hear our voices, but supposedly we were urging people with gestures to storm the Parliament building.

In every testimony where I am mentioned, they all refer to me as ‘Zurab Japaridze, aka Girchi.’ Does the entire police force know me like that?

The case concerns November-December 2024, yet these people gave their statements in May 2025. They themselves say they witnessed an unimaginable crime - how we were overthrowing the state - but didn’t report it to their superiors,” Zura Japaridze stated.

For information: The Tbilisi City Court is hearing the so-called sabotage case against 8 accused politicians - Mikheil Saakashvili, Nika Melia, Nika Gvaramia, Zurab Girchi Japaridze, Giorgi Vashadze, Badri Japaridze, Mamuka Khazaradze, and Elene Khoshtaria - in closed sessions. Today’s hearing is examining the evidence presented by the prosecution.

The charges in the so-called sabotage case have been brought against Mikheil Saakashvili, Giorgi Vashadze, Nika Gvaramia, Nika Melia, Zurab Girchi Japaridze, Elene Khoshtaria, Mamuka Khazaradze, and Badri Japaridze.

More specifically:- Giorgi Vashadze and Zurab Girchi Japaridze have been charged under Articles 318 (Part 1) and 319 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (sabotage and assistance in hostile activities for a foreign country). The penalty is 7 to 15 years of imprisonment.- Elene Khoshtaria faces charges under Articles 318 (Part 1), 319, and 321¹ (Part 1) - sabotage, providing material resources for the commission of the crime, and assistance in hostile activities for a foreign country.- Nika Gvaramia, Nika Melia, Mamuka Khazaradze, and Badri Japaridze have been charged under Article 318 (Part 1) - sabotage.- Mikheil Saakashvili has been charged under Article 317 - public calls for the violent change of Georgia’s constitutional order or the overthrow of state authority.