“As long as you spend 24 hours talking about and analyzing what Ivanishvili is doing or what he wants, we will remain stuck in this quagmire. Until then, they will defeat us and 17-year-old young men will be killed in the streets!” Levan Khabeishvili, one of the leaders of the United National Movement, writes in a letter sent from prison.

In his message, which was published on his personal social media page, the imprisoned politician criticizes members of the opposition parties and describes their appearances on television programs as merely “treading water in the opposition field.”

Khabeishvili calls on everyone to unite and take action, including organizing large-scale demonstrations.

“When will you ask the question: What do the people want? When will you get to that question? When will you find the courage? When will you stop acting scared and frightened? Brothers, everything is caused by fear — the lack of movement and inaction that we are seeing now.

Find the courage, otherwise you will spend years trying to figure out what and how Ivanishvili wants, whom he will arrest and whom he will promote.

Get a grip! Sorry, but what is happening every day on TV is absolute nonsense and simply empty talk. If it were not for television producers, you would disappear altogether and become ‘keyboard warriors.’

It has become clear that the appearance of most of you on television serves simply to keep yourselves afloat — to remain afloat in the political field. Some of you are completely hidden away, hiding in the bushes.

You be the leaders, the ones at the forefront, and I will be your servant and activist!

What you are reading now is the naked truth, and I am trying to make you look in the mirror.

Fear has taken over! There is inaction and stagnation because courage is nowhere to be seen!

Because there is no courage, you are forced to act as commentators and endlessly discuss and repeat meaningless topics.

Throughout the spring and summer, you were boasting, saying, ‘When autumn comes, we will do this and that.’ September has arrived, and you are still hiding, avoiding real action. You are ready to keep wasting time and somehow make it to November. Then you will announce that it is too cold and proclaim a new spring.

It is painful to watch all of this. As your devoted servant, activist and supporter, I am saddened by it!

Blaming parties and leaders is already worn out! When you want to, you act as though you are ‘bigger’ and stronger than the leaders and parties. Those leaders are facing the threat of 15-year prison sentences, so do not judge them too harshly.

Are we going to sacrifice the country for 4, 5 or 7 leaders?! Do we have no responsibility for anything?!

You cannot even muster the courage to call a demonstration and say, ‘Let’s gather and come out in the hundreds of thousands.’ No one has enough courage even to announce an ordinary protest and actually move toward active resistance. It is difficult to watch....

The formula: Everyone except Ivanishvili! Georgia without Ivanishvili!

Courage is needed, not wasting time on TV, treading water, or hiding in the bushes. Crawling out of holes and raising your voice when ‘lists’ are being drawn up is neither morally nor professionally right, so do not do that to yourselves or to the people.

Overcome your fear and you will win!

Me?! As for me, use me!

I will be your servant even from prison!

Strength is in unity!” Levan Khabeishvili writes.