Tbilisi City Court has sentenced Elene Khoshtaria, leader of the Droa party, to one year and six months in prison, concluding a case she has consistently dismissed as politically motivated.
Khoshtaria did not attend the announcement of the verdict and had previously refused to participate in any stage of the proceedings, describing the case as illegitimate. According to her lawyer, she submitted a written statement to the court rejecting both the charges and the authority of judicial institutions she associates with the ruling Georgian Dream party.
The charges stem from an incident on September 14, 2025, near the election headquarters of Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, where Khoshtaria spray-painted the words “Russian Dream” on a campaign banner. She later shared the act on social media, saying it was carried out in solidarity with activist Megi Diasamidze, who had been detained over a similar protest and subsequently released on bail.
Khoshtaria was arrested the following day and charged under Article 187 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which concerns damage to another person’s property resulting in significant loss. The court initially set bail at 5,000 GEL, which she refused to pay, choosing instead to remain in detention throughout the legal process.
