Girchi More Freedom’s Zurab Japaridze released from prison

Zurab Japaridze, leader of Girchi-More Freedom party, has been released from prison.

Speaking to journalists after his release from the penitentiary, Japaridze stated that this is no longer an independent country, that we have no independent foreign policy, and that Russia governs this nation.

“After seven months in isolation, when your only source of information has been the television, I don’t believe it would be entirely appropriate for me to tell you now what needs to be done. I will need some time to meet with people, listen, and get my bearings on certain matters; I’ll require a few days to gather my thoughts. I have some ideas. However, I want to discuss it with others first, and only then will I be able to decide what I believe to be the right course of action.

As for the new charges, the message isn’t just aimed at me, but also at Lazare, Gvaramia, and Vashadze, and they’re telling us in plain language: we’ll let you out for a little while so you can feel what freedom is again, and then you can decide whether you want to shut up or leave the country.

No one is going to do either. I’m not planning to, and no one else will either, as far as I know these people, and I think I know them well. I don’t think they have already decided whether to lock us up for seven years or 15 years; they will probably work that out as they go along.

So that you’re constantly living under the feeling that you have limited time and could be thrown in prison at any moment, our task is to stand firm. We must use this little time whilst we are not behind bars effectively,” Zurab Japaridze declared.

It should be noted that, following an appeal from the temporary investigative commission, the Prosecutor’s Office has brought charges against Zurab Japaridze under Article 349 of the Criminal Code. This article pertains to “failure to comply with a demand from a temporary investigative commission of the Parliament of Georgia” and carries a penalty of a fine or imprisonment for up to one year, as well as the potential deprivation of the right to hold office or engage in certain activities for up to three years.

On April 16, Zurab Japaridze was released on bail of GEL 20,000 for failing to appear before Parliament’s temporary investigative commission, with the deadline for payment of bail expiring on May 18.
On May 22, Zurab Girchi Japaridze, one of the leaders of the Coalition for Change, had his bail replaced with imprisonment as a preventive measure.