“The temporary investigative commission of Parliament is not concerned with justice, the rule of law, or restoring the rights of victims. Instead, it serves as a tool for political retribution, tasked with crafting a narrative—particularly regarding the August war—that aligns with the interests of Russia and its government,” said Ana Dolidze, one of the leaders of Strong Georgia, during a briefing.

She stated that all cases presented to the commission, both past and future, are directly linked to the clan of judges.

“We stand in solidarity with all those who have suffered under both the previous and current governments. We believe that every person in Georgia deserves justice, and we are committed to ensuring that victims recover their property, regain their rights, and achieve this through a fair trial. This is why we are in politics.

All cases brought before the commission, and those that will be brought in the future, are directly connected to the clan of judges who continue to violate human rights under the Georgian Dream. These judges have also kept 53 political prisoners captive. Those who issued illegal verdicts in the Khardziani and Leonidze cases were not only unpunished but also promoted under the Georgian Dream. They remain on the list of privileged judges and continue to administer political justice.

I will begin with the Leonidze case, as the investigation into Khazaradze-Japaridze in the Prosecutor’s Office is linked to it. In the Leonidze case, it is clear that Judge Lasha Kochiashvili, who, during the previous government in the 2000s, handled Leonidze’s case, which led to his bankruptcy, was promoted. In 2012, under Georgian Dream, this judge did not return Leonidze’s property, but instead bankrupted his company Magnati, and in 2021, he was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court for life. The second judge, Lomtatidze, who illegally sentenced Leonidze to prison, was also promoted and reappointed as a judge of the Court of Appeal for life in 2021,” Dolidze explained.

She added that claims that the “Commission’s opinion is to restore Leonidze’s rights are a complete lie and an attempt to distract from the real issues.”

“This commission has two primary objectives—political settlement and producing a report that will be favourable to Russia. The threat posed by the Commission is meaningless to us. Both the commission and Parliament are entirely fake and illegitimate,” Dolidze concluded.