In Georgia, former defense minister arrested on charges of treason
In Georgia, Giorgi Baramidze, the former Minister of Defense and Internal Affairs and one of the leaders of the opposition United National Movement party, has been detained. He is expected to be charged with "high treason, specifically sabotage." The case was prompted by statements Baramidze made regarding the 1992–1993 war in Abkhazia.
Former Defense Minister Arrested on Treason Charges in Georgia
The Prosecutor General's Office of Georgia announced on September 11 that Georgiy Baramidze was arrested based on a court ruling. He has served as the country's acting prime minister, as well as minister of defense and minister of internal affairs.
The 58-year-old Baramidze is currently considered one of the leaders of the opposition United National Movement party, founded by former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Deputy Prosecutor General of Georgia Amiran Guluashvili stated that Baramidze will be charged with "high treason, specifically, sabotage."
The criminal case was initiated following opinions expressed by Baramidze on July 18 during the program "The Birth of Georgia," broadcast on the YouTube channel of opposition politician Iago Khvichia.
According to the Prosecutor General's Office, during the interview, Baramidze stated that at the beginning of the 1992–1993 Abkhazian war, the Georgian military did not take prisoners, but rather shot those captured on the spot. According to him, for this reason, the Georgian side, unlike the Abkhazian side, did not have an "exchange fund" to swap prisoners.
The investigation into Baramidze's statement began on August 7 following a complaint from Georgia's State Service of Veterans Affairs.
The Prosecutor General's Office stated that during the investigation, no facts confirming that the Georgian army shot prisoners were identified.
The agency assessed Baramidze's words as "unfounded and fabricated." According to the prosecution's interpretation, his statement is of a "deliberate ideological and propaganda nature" and serves to damage Georgia's state and national interests, external security, defense capability, and state institutions.
The prosecution also claims that Baramidze's words undermined Georgia's image and the reputation of the country's Defense Forces, and infringed upon the honor and dignity of the Abkhazian war participants and fallen soldiers.
Law enforcement agencies also stated that this statement posed a threat to the process of reconciliation and confidence-building among the conflict-affected population, undermined Georgia's policy of peace and de-occupation, and complicated the normal functioning of state bodies.