Nugzar Tsiklauri: The leaders of the October 4 protest were calling on people to take to the streets; fighting for freedom is one thing, but another is how much of a leader you remain when you voice contradictory positions; they have a greater responsibility

“Every prisoner makes their own decision regarding their freedom, and I do not think it is right for anyone to take a moralizing stance in this case. However, fighting for freedom as a personal right is one thing, while another is whether you remain a leader when you voice such contradictory positions,” Nugzar Tsiklauri, a member of the Coalition for Change, said on PalitraNews’ program “Day's Newsroom,” commenting on the request for plea agreements submitted to the Prosecutor’s Office by Murtaz Zodelava and Lasha Beridze, identified as organizers of the October 4, 2025 events.

According to him, this is like walking on a double-edged sword, and if a leader can endure imprisonment and continue the struggle, they may become a hero.

“There is indeed another side to this - political leaders bear an entirely different level of responsibility for the events in which they participated and for which they encouraged other people to participate. I believe that the hundreds of thousands of people who take to the streets of Tbilisi, including those who came out on October 4, have nothing to repent for. What political prisoners decide regarding their own fate is their decision, but I believe they have a different and very high level of responsibility.

We all remember that these political leaders called for resistance, for taking to the streets, for making certain efforts, for taking action. Now, when you change your position so radically, one thing is your personal right to fight for freedom, but another is whether you remain a leader when you voice such contradictory positions. It is like walking on a double-edged sword: if a person can endure it and continue fighting, they may become a hero and may become a great political leader,” Nugzar Tsiklauri said.

Regarding other issues, he also assessed the situation in the penitentiary system in light of prisoner Giorgi Davitadze’s allegation that he was raped by a prison guard. He said that when food is stolen from children in kindergartens, “the army is being robbed,” and senior officials have been exposed for corruption, it is inconceivable that prisons would be the one place where serious misconduct and human rights violations do not occur.

“Politicians’ categorical statements that nothing happened there, that this person fabricated what he spoke about - statements made by members of the Georgian Dream parliament and the mayor representing Georgian Dream - most clearly demonstrate that we may be dealing with an extremely serious crime. On a purely human level, it is very difficult to believe that, out of nowhere, nothing happened and a person simply came forward and spoke about himself, saying that he had been subjected to sexual violence.

When something like this happens, a person comes forward, and there is footage that at least raises doubts as to whether this person is being covered for and whether actions took place there that violate the dignity of the prisoner, how can government representatives so categorically say that this person fabricated everything and that nothing actually happened?

The Public Defender’s not particularly dignified conduct is also telling, as he practically announced a verdict in advance by saying that nothing had been confirmed. First and foremost, this exposes the fact that violations of human rights of this kind really do take place in prisons.

There is also a political dimension to this, and I believe it fully reflects the mental, moral, and political crisis that exists in the country more broadly. It is impossible for food to be stolen from children in kindergartens, for soldiers’ equipment and food to be stolen, for the prime minister to have millions of lari, for the defense minister to be exposed for corruption, for schools to have the problems that exist and have been revealed, while prisons alone remain isolated from the lawlessness characteristic of Georgian Dream.

Therefore, even taking the broader political context into account, I am deeply convinced that misconduct is also taking place in prisons that has nothing to do with the dignity of prisoners or with freedom in general.

I cannot tell you what society’s response will be, or how ready people will be to publicly express their attitude toward the disgraceful things we have seen. However, I am deeply convinced that great resentment is building up over the lack of rights, the plundering, and the humiliation of dignity that Georgian Dream is inflicting on Georgian citizens. But what the point of culmination will be, when no one can tolerate their arrogance and shameless impudence any longer, I cannot tell you,” Nugzar Tsiklauri said.