Georgia's Ministry of Justice has banned all communications for five opposition leaders arrested after the October 4 protests in Tbilisi. The men are unable to make phone calls, receive family visits, or send or receive letters.
The October 13 decision came at the request of the Interior Ministry's Criminal Police Department. It applies to all five principal defendants in the "October 4 case."
Total communications blackout
The five detained organizers — Paata Burchuladze, Murtaz Zodelava, Irakli Nadiradze, Paata Manjgaladze, and Lasha Beridze — have been cut off from all external contact. The ban blocks:
- Telephone calls to anyone, including family and lawyers
- In-person visits from relatives
- All written correspondence
The restrictions go beyond standard Georgian pre-trial detention rules, which generally allow limited family contact and full access to legal counsel.
Who is being held
- Paata Burchuladze – opera singer, founder of Rustaveli Avenue public platform
- Murtaz Zodelava – former Prosecutor General of Georgia, United National Movement political council member
- Irakli Nadiradze – three-term Tbilisi City Council deputy
- Paata Manjgaladze – General Secretary of the Strategy Aghmashenebeli party
- Lasha Beridze – former Deputy Chief of General Staff of Georgian Armed Forces
All five face charges of "calls to violently change the constitutional order" and "organizing group violence." Combined sentences can reach nine years in prison.
Violates international detention standards
The European Convention on Human Rights guarantees detained persons the right to communicate with family and unrestricted access to lawyers. Georgia is a party to this convention.
The UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners prohibit prolonged isolation from family and legal representatives. The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that restrictions on attorney-client communications require specific security justifications, not blanket bans.
Defense lawyers have not yet stated publicly whether they can access their clients or if the ban extends to legal consultations.
What happened on October 4
Protests in Tbilisi coincided with Georgia's municipal elections. Organizers declared the Georgian Dream government illegitimate and demanded a "peaceful transfer of power " after local election fraud.
The ruling Georgian Dream won all 64 municipalities with 40.93% turnout — the lowest on record. The elections occurred during an opposition boycott. International observers described a repressive political environment.
According to the Interior Ministry, protesters attempted to breach the presidential residence. Special forces used tear gas and water cannons. The Ministry of Health reported 21 police officers and six protesters hospitalized.
