Former Ivanishvili Aide Claims Forced Exile Amid Political Persecution
By Liza Mchedlidze
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Giorgi Bachiashvili, a former aide to billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, took to social media today, March 4, to announce that he had been "forced to leave Georgia." The 39-year-old, who previously served as Ivanishvili's financial advisor, stated that he is facing fabricated charges and fears imprisonment.
Bachiashvili, who has been the target of two separate lawsuits filed by Georgian prosecutors, claimed that the charges against him were part of a larger political persecution campaign orchestrated by Ivanishvili, the Georgian Dream founder, and key figures within the judiciary. He named several individuals in his post, including Judge George Gelashvili, Chairman of the Tbilisi Court of Appeals Mikheil Chinchaladze, High Council of Justice member Levan Murusidze, Prosecutor General Giorgi Gabitashvili, and Prosecutor Mikheil Sadradze, accusing them of being complicit in the alleged persecution.
In his statement, Bachiashvili emphasized the lack of justice in Georgia, asserting that "this is not a legal system where truth prevails, nor one where rights are protected - especially for those like me who have been deliberately targeted by Bidzina Ivanishvili and his corrupt machinery."
Bachiashvili further revealed that he had received credible threats to his safety, adding that these threats held deadly weight in the current political climate of Georgia. "In prison, I would be left absolutely defenseless, face to face with Ivanishvili's executioners. in the very prison where Ivanishvili threatened to crush me," he warned, implying that his life would be at significant risk should he be detained.
He stressed that his departure from Georgia was not an act of "surrender" but rather a "strategic decision." Bachiashvili expressed confidence that he could contribute more to the battle against what he perceives as political injustice from outside a prison cell. "I can contribute far more to this battle from outside a prison cell than within one," he said.
Giorgi Bachiashvili's Lawyer Levan Makharashvili stated that he learned about his departure from a Facebook post.
"I found out just like everyone else. My first communication with Giorgi was after his post. I don't know which country he is in - only that he's willing to testify remotely," Makharashvili said.
He noted that Bachiashvili's passports had been confiscated and questioned why he should be expected to explain how Bachiashvili left the country.
Prosecutor Mikheil Sadradze also stated that authorities are unaware of how Bachiashvili, who is facing charges in two separate criminal cases, managed to leave Georgia.
"His passports were confiscated. We have the facts we have. This requires further examination, and an investigation will be launched," Sadradze said.
In 2023, Bachiashvili was charged with embezzling a large sum of bitcoins, leading to an order to pay GEL 2.5 million (approximately USD 898,000) in restitution and a ban on leaving Georgia. Just last week, prosecutors filed new charges, accusing Bachiashvili of negligence in his role as the general director of Ivanishvili's co-investment fund. The court imposed a bail of GEL 50,000 (about USD 18,000) and renewed the travel ban. Throughout both legal proceedings, Bachiashvili has maintained that the charges were politically motivated.
