Georgian opposition to contact French authorities to investigate Ivanishvili

The Georgian opposition has announced plans to engage with French authorities to investigate Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the Georgian Dream party. Ivanishvili holds both Georgian and French citizenship, a key factor in the opposition’s strategy. The move follows the release of a damning report by the OSCE, which documented significant democratic backsliding and human rights abuses within Georgia.

The newly formed Opposition Alliance stated their commitment to implementing recommendations from the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism, specifically advocating for legal action at the International Criminal Court against members of the ruling Georgian Dream party. The report highlighted a pattern of violence, abuses, and near-total impunity, prompting the alliance to take responsibility for this course of action. A central element of their strategy involves coordinating with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, aiming to facilitate the involvement of UN special procedures and potentially establish a country office.

They intend to leverage universal jurisdiction, particularly with France, to investigate allegations of systemic torture and the potential use of chemical weapons linked to Ivanishvili. The alliance is actively communicating with French investigative authorities, including the Prosecutor’s Office, to initiate a national-level investigation. They also plan to approach the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to investigate alleged use of chemical weapons by Georgian authorities, referencing the report’s recommendations.

Furthermore, the opposition intends to refer the situation in Georgia to the ICC, citing concerns regarding political persecution, torture, and other inhumane acts, with the ultimate goal of bringing Ivanishvili before the Hague tribunal. The Georgian opposition’s actions reflect growing international criticism of the Georgian government’s policies toward dissent and deteriorating relations with key international partners.

Topics: #georgian #ivanishvili #opposition