Prosecutor’s Office seeks detention for Khabeishvili, bail for Zodelava

The Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia has charged Levan Khabeishvili and Murtaz Zodelava, members of the Political Council of the United National Movement,  with multiple offenses, including bribery, calls for the overthrow of the government, and obstruction of an investigation. The Prosecutor General’s Office made this announcement.

“The Anti-Corruption Agency of the State Security Service of Georgia has established that in August and September 2025, Levan Khabeishvili, Chairman of the Political Council of the United National Movement, systematically made public appeals on television and social networks. He allegedly promised to pay USD 200,000 as a bribe to employees of the Department for Special Assignments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs if they refused to undergo training and exercises, perform their official duties, or use the special means permitted by law. Khabeishvili also publicly pledged to pay the same amount to police officers who provided him with information or classified materials related to their official activities.

Based on a court ruling, he was arrested on September 11, 2025, and charged under Part 2 of Article 339 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns promising a bribe to an official to commit an illegal act, either by taking action in favour of the bribe-giver or by refraining from performing official duties.

In addition, based on further evidence obtained in the same case, Khabeishvili was also charged under Article 317 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which pertains to making public calls to overthrow the state government. Since June 2025, he had allegedly been urging citizens to take actions aimed at overthrowing the government, even specifying a date and place for such actions.

As for Murtaz Zodelava, detained in the same case for resisting a government representative, the investigation determined that he unlawfully interfered with a State Security Service investigator. In an attempt to obstruct a comprehensive investigation, he tried to hide Khabeishvili’s mobile phone, which was subject to a court-ordered search and seizure.

Accordingly, instead of being charged under Article 353, Zodelava was ultimately charged under Part 1 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns unlawful interference in an investigation to hinder its progress. The crime is punishable by up to one year of imprisonment.

The Prosecutor’s Office has requested pre-trial detention for Khabeishvili and bail for Zodelava. The investigation is ongoing,” the statement by the Prosecutor General’s Office reads.