Eliso Kiladze, editor-in-chief of the publications Chronika Plus and CNews, has been detained.
The Prosecutor’s Office stated that Kiladze was arrested on the morning of February 18 and is accused of fraud and money laundering in connection with the so-called “call center case.” The investigation also involves former Chief Prosecutor Otar Partskhaladze and brothers David and Giorgi Mikadze.
Initial reports about Kiladze’s detention were aired by the Georgian television channel TV Pirveli. The broadcaster reported that she was detained by special forces near her residence on Wednesday morning. The arrest is believed to have taken place between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. Her last Facebook post was published at 8:53 a.m., with no mention of a possible detention.
At an 11:00 a.m. briefing, the Prosecutor’s Office announced that Kiladze is accused of membership in what it described as the “Partskhaladze–Mikadze organized criminal group.”
Her lawyer has not yet issued a public comment.
In recent months, Kiladze had been actively covering the investigation and court proceedings following the killing of Levan Jangveladze, the brother of an alleged criminal authority. She previously stated that she is a friend of Giorgi Mikadze, who has been arrested and charged with organizing Jangveladze’s murder.
The investigation remains ongoing.
