Georgia's ruling party imprisons its own former officials on Ivanishvili's orders

Georgia is experiencing significant political turbulence as former high-ranking state officials are being detained and criminal cases opened against them. Military historian Jüri Kotšinev writes that these actions are being carried out at the direction of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the country's unofficial leader.

Georgia's internal political landscape has been shaken by a wave of arrests targeting former senior government officials, with criminal proceedings launched against individuals who were once considered part of the ruling establishment. Military historian Jüri Kotšinev argues that these detentions are being orchestrated by Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire founder of the Georgian Dream party who wields enormous informal power over the country despite holding no official government position.

The move to imprison former loyalists is being interpreted by analysts as a consolidation of power, a tactic used by Ivanishvili to eliminate potential rivals or those who may have fallen out of favour. The pattern of targeting insiders — people who were previously considered "their own" within the ruling circle — has drawn widespread attention both domestically and internationally.

Critical observers note that the use of criminal proceedings against former allies is a hallmark of authoritarian consolidation, where the justice system is weaponised not to uphold the rule of law but to neutralise political threats. Georgia's opposition and civil society groups have condemned the arrests as politically motivated, warning that the country is sliding further away from democratic norms.

The developments come at a sensitive time for Georgia, which has been experiencing prolonged political unrest following disputed election results and massive street protests. The government's crackdown on dissent and now on its own former officials has raised serious concerns among European Union and NATO partners about Georgia's democratic trajectory and its aspirations for European integration.