May 30, 2025 - The South Caucasus News - SouthCaucasusNews.com

Georgian oppositionist Nika Melia taken into custody

Judge Irakli Shvangiradze has ordered the detention of Nika Melia, one of the leaders of Georgia’s opposition “Coalition for Change,” for failing to appear before a parliamentary ad hoc investigative commission examining the activities of the former regime.

On 29 May, Melia was arrested in Tbilisi. According to his lawyer Giorgi Kondakhashvili, police officers stopped Melia near Lisi Lake, where he was headed to record a programme.

Melia’s lawyer said he was stopped by a police patrol and forced into a car. He ruled out any connection between the arrest and an ongoing case. Later, the Interior Ministry released a statement saying the politician was detained under administrative procedures.

Earlier, Melia had been summoned to testify before a commission established by the ruling Georgian Dream party to investigate the former government during the presidency of Mikheil Saakashvili.

Melia refused to attend, stating he did not consider the current parliament or its structures legitimate. A court then ordered him to pay bail of 50,000 lari (around $18,000), which he also refused to pay on the same grounds. A court hearing was scheduled for 29 May in connection with this, later postponed to 30 May at 14:00.

During the hearing, Melia threw water at Judge Shvangiradze. This happened after he addressed the judge with the following words:
“You’re just following orders, and as a judge, you have no interest in why I was illegally arrested yesterday.

You’re an accomplice — part of the system of cover-up. It doesn’t matter how significant your role is. What matters is that you’re part of a criminal gang that doesn’t even ask how I ended up here, who abducted me and why, and why they damaged the video recording equipment in my car.

What’s more, you’re a probationary appointee, temporarily placed on the bench. We all know that. For the next three years, sanctioned judges accused of corruption — Chinchaladze and Murusidze (JAMNews) — will be watching your performance, checking whether you obey and issue the right rulings.”

After throwing the water, Melia was escorted out of the courtroom. At the same time, a scuffle broke out between attendees and court bailiffs, prompting the judge to declare a recess.

Earlier, Nika Melia shared details of his arrest:

“I wasn’t detained — I was kidnapped. A so-called patrol car suddenly pulled up in front of me, and a very nervous man in uniform asked the driver for their licence. From the look on his face, it was clear he was interested in anything but the licence. At that moment, a voice came over the radio: ‘Is the target in the car?’ At that point, it was obvious what was going on.

Around 11 people abducted me. There was nothing to suggest they were police officers. It was a kidnapping — they forced me into a car and took my mobile phone by force. One of the abductors waved the phone in front of my face several times [to unlock it], but he failed.”

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On 22 May, opposition politician Zurab Japaridze was also taken into custody for failing to pay bail and refusing to appear before the investigative commission.

The prosecutor’s office filed a motion to change the measure of restraint after Japaridze declined to pay the 20,000 lari bail.

In addition, on 14 May, former Georgian Defence Minister (2004–2006) Irakli Okruashvili was sentenced to imprisonment for failing to pay bail imposed for not attending a commission hearing. He was arrested in the courtroom. On 8 April, Okruashvili had been ordered to pay 20,000 lari in bail and was also banned from leaving the country.

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On 5 February, the ruling Georgian Dream party established a temporary parliamentary commission to investigate the government’s actions during the presidency of Mikheil Saakashvili. It was formally named “The Temporary Investigative Commission of the Parliament of Georgia on the Activities of the Regime and Political Figures of the 2003–2012 Period.”

The creation of the commission was first announced by Georgian Dream on 9 January 2025. According to the head of the parliamentary faction, Mamuka Mdinaradze, the commission will operate for six months and is expected to present its conclusions for discussion and approval during the first week of the September session.