News|GovernmentGeorgian police raid homes of former officials including ex-prime ministerAuthorities in Georgia have been clamping down on figures accused of trying to overthrow the government.
Authorities in Georgia have executed searches at the residences of former senior officials amidst ongoing government-related investigations. The searches targeted Irakli Garibashvili, a former prime minister; Grigol Liluashvili, a former internal…
Authorities in Georgia have executed searches at the residences of former senior officials amidst ongoing government-related investigations. The searches targeted Irakli Garibashvili, a former prime minister; Grigol Liluashvili, a former internal security chief; and Otar Partskhaladze, an ex-prosecutor general, according to a statement from the prosecutor general on Fri, Oct 6, 2023.
All individuals have been closely associated with Bidzina Ivanishvili, the former prime minister and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party. Recent actions mark a notable shift in the government's approach, as previous measures primarily targeted opposition figures.
The country's political environment has been unstable since October 2022, following contested parliamentary elections. Anticorruption prosecutors and security agents conducted raids at 22 locations as part of ongoing investigations, according to Chief Prosecutor Giorgi Gvarakidze. These operations resulted in the seizure of cash, documents, and electronic devices, although specific details about the alleged offenses remain undisclosed.
Authorities in Georgia have executed searches at the residences of former senior officials amidst ongoing government-related investigations.
Authorities have reported 62 arrests associated with recent political unrest. Partskhaladze, a dual Georgian-Russian citizen, was recently sanctioned by the United Kingdom due to his connections with Moscow.
Garibashvili, who served as prime minister until 2024, has been noted for his role in Georgia's recent geopolitical stance shifts, particularly in relation to Western alliances. In recent months, tensions have emerged between the Georgian government and the EU, involving accusations of misinformation and interference in domestic political matters.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has been criticized for perceived democratic regression and alleged alignment with Russian interests, challenging Georgia’s EU membership ambitions. The party has denied these allegations.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.
