Gedevan Popkhadze on Elene Khoshtaria’s imprisonment: "This is a message to everyone that we will be ruthless - On the other side are those who would steal a camel, yet they are imprisoning people who haven't even stolen a needle"
"The imprisonment of Elene Khoshtaria is a public message to everyone: 'We will be ruthless; we have zero empathy,'" Gedevan Popkhadze, a member of the "Coalition for Change," stated on PalitraNews.
According to Gedevan Popkhadze, "Georgian Dream" has abandoned even formal democracy; consequently, such public punishment has become a vital necessity for them.
"They have turned this issue [imprisonment] into a subject for mockery. If you look at how 'Georgian Dream' propagandists treat prisoners on social media, it serves as a message from them: 'Not only have we imprisoned them, but they deserve to be imprisoned—and we ought to do even worse to them.'" Elene has been singled out as a prominent representative of the opposition protest movement; beyond that, however, this serves as a public message to everyone: "We will be ruthless—we have zero empathy." One ought to possess empathy for all human beings; even when it comes to a prisoner, one should approach them with a different attitude.
On the other side, you have the "camel thieves"—the real criminals—while they arrest people who haven't even stolen a needle. Our "offenses" are entirely trivial: blocking a street, or standing in the wrong spot on a sidewalk. Imposing a custodial sentence for writing something on a banner is not just an isolated case; it is a message to society as a whole: "If I can treat Elene Khoshtaria this way, then you—standing there on the sidewalk—should know that I am capable of doing even worse to you." Elene Khoshtaria enjoys international support, possesses high public recognition, and is a prominent political figure—yet, despite all this, I am doing this to her. They have gone too far; they intend to declare a formal dictatorship in the country—something that remained a taboo even during the era of the 'National Movement.' Although those of us in the opposition spoke of authoritarianism and gross human rights violations, the 'National Movement' at least attempted to maintain a veneer of formality. Since the current authorities have abandoned even that formal facade, such public punishment has become a vital necessity for them; the entire system is built upon it," stated Gedevan Popkhadze.
For context, Elene Khoshtaria, the leader of the 'Droa' party—who is currently in custody—has been transferred from the Rustavi women's prison to the Todua Clinic in Tbilisi.
Several months ago, Elene Khoshtaria was initially moved to the 'Vivamedi' clinic due to a deterioration in her health. She was subsequently returned from that facility to the Rustavi women's prison on September 27.
