Prepared by Messenger Staff
Zourabichvili Calls for Broad Civic Unity Against Georgian Dream
Georgia's fifth president Salome Zourabichvili has called for political and civic forces to unite against what she described as an authoritarian government serving Russia.
Speaking at the French National Assembly in Paris, Zourabichvili accused the government of adopting pro-Russian political positions and receiving support from the Kremlin.
She also criticized what she described as growing restrictions on freedom of expression, saying people had faced prosecution over social media posts and that a special Interior Ministry department had been created to monitor citizens' recordings.
"Georgia's future depends, first and foremost, on Georgian society itself, on political and non-political civic forces, culture, the media, and the people who continue to resist," Zourabichvili said.
She argued that the political situation had moved beyond ordinary competition between parties and required cooperation among opposition groups and civil society.
"Defeating an authoritarian regime supported from abroad is possible only when the country unites against an existential threat," she said.
Suspect Linked to 'Nazi-Fascist' Group Detained Over Alleged Abuse of Two Minors
Police have detained a man linked to a group the Interior Ministry described as "Nazi-fascist" over the alleged abuse of two minors.
The suspect, who was previously convicted and was serving a suspended sentence, faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
The ministry said he and other group members allegedly lured and assaulted a minor in Tbilisi in 2023, then organized the assault and degrading treatment of another minor in 2025. Associates allegedly filmed the second incident and planned to post it online.
RFE/RL's Georgian service reported that the suspect was identified as Davit Japarov.
The ministry said some people linked to the cases are already serving prison sentences and that investigators are working to identify others involved in violent groups. Police have detained at least 15 minors in recent months in cases involving alleged neo-Nazi and radical-fascist groups.
