**Opposition Activist Saba Skhvitaridze’s Case: A Fabricated Investigation, Says Transparency International Georgia**
Transparency International Georgia has released a report on January 30, 2025, stating that the investigation into opposition activist Saba Skhvitaridze is a deliberate fabrication involving state institutions. The watchdog claims that the case is politically motivated and represents a coordinated effort by law enforcement to persecute Skhvitaridze for his opposition activities.
**Who is Saba Skhvitaridze?**
Saba Skhvitaridze is a civic activist who worked with the non-governmental organization “Reforms and Research Group,” focusing on human rights, democratic reforms, and election monitoring. He later joined the “Ahali” political party, which is part of the “Coalition for Change.” Skhvitaridze is known for his outspoken criticism of the Georgian Dream party and his participation in protests.
**The Charges Against Skhvitaridze**
Skvitaridze is facing charges under Georgia’s Criminal Code (Article 353 Prima, Paragraph 2), which involves harming a police officer during the execution of their official duties. He faces up to six years in prison if convicted. The watchdog claims that even if Kavtaradze had been in uniform, his actions – physically assaulting a woman and verbally attacking opposition figures – constituted a violation of public order by Kavtaradze himself.
**The Investigation: Fabricated and Politically Motivated**
Transparency International Georgia’s report describes the investigation into Skhvitaridze as fabricated with the involvement of state institutions. The watchdog alleges that specific officials, including officers involved in falsifying evidence and providing false testimonies, and prosecutors who collaborated in the fabrication, played key roles in the case.
**The Report’s Key Findings**
The report highlights several key findings:
* Skhvitaridze was subjected to unlawful detention while traveling with his father. He was forcibly removed from a car without explanation, arrested, placed in a police vehicle, and taken to the Tbilisi police station.
* Skhvitaridze was twice severely beaten while in custody, which is considered torture or inhuman and degrading treatment under Articles 144¹ and 144³ of the Criminal Code.
* The investigation has failed to identify the perpetrators, and no one has been held accountable for their actions.
* Transparency International Georgia calls for those responsible to be held accountable for their actions, including charges of abuse of authority and falsification of evidence.
**Conclusion**
Transparency International Georgia concludes that the investigation into Saba Skhvitaridze was fabricated with the involvement of state institutions and specific officials in a coordinated effort to punish him for his political activities. The watchdog calls for those responsible to be held accountable, and argues that the failure of the Special Investigation Service to investigate these crimes shows that the actions against Skhvitaridze were politically motivated and aimed at suppressing opposition activity.