The court verdict against Elene Khoshtaria is a shocking attack on democracy and fundamental rights - Salome Zurabishvili

The court verdict against Elene Khoshtaria is a shocking attack on democracy and fundamental rights - Salome Zurabishvili

Georgia’s fifth president, Salome Zurabishvili, has described the court ruling against one of the leaders of the “Droa” party, Elene Khoshtaria, as a “shocking attack” on democracy and fundamental rights in Georgia.

As Zurabishvili wrote on platform X, “this is how the regime understands freedom of expression.”

“Political repression in Georgia: Elene Khoshtaria, leader of the political party ‘Droa,’ who has been in pre-trial detention for six months, has now been sentenced to 18 months in prison. Simply for writing on a banner.

This is how the regime understands freedom of expression. This verdict is yet another shocking attack on democracy and fundamental rights in Georgia,” Zurabishvili wrote.

For the record, for making an inscription — “Russian Dream” — on an election banner of Kakha Kaladze using a marker, Judge Giorgi Arevadze sentenced Elene Khoshtaria to 1 year and 6 months in prison. Accordingly, Khoshtaria will leave the penitentiary institution in one year.