Levan Murusidze, one of the Georgian judges sanctioned by the U.S. State Department, explained that by imposing sanctions, the U.S. sent a message to the judicial system that “if the judges do not consider the positions of the ambassador and the embassy in relation to a specific case, and do not make a ruling that is favorable to the ambassador, we will treat all of you in the same way as we treated the sanctioned judges.”

A lifetime judge of the Court of Appeals believes that this very move aimed to “seize the judiciary,” noting that “efforts were initially made through the NGOs. Later, political parties got involved, followed by international organizations deliberately writing about the so-called judicial clan and preparing positions. But as they could not grab the power to control the judiciary and failed, they made this move.”

“For years, U.S. Embassy personnel had personally approached me, requesting that this and that judge be appointed to the Supreme Council of Justice, that this and that decision be made by the Supreme Council of Justice, and that the conference be convened on this and that day. I have proof of this. When I deem it essential, the whole public will be able to see it as well,” he stated.

On 5 April, U.S. State Department sanctioned four judges, Mikheil Chinchaladze, Levan Murusidze, Irakli Shengelia, and Valerian Tsertsvadze, for their involvement in corruption.