Elene Khoshtaria Sentenced to 18 Months for Writing "Russian Dream" on Election Banner

On March 24, 2026, Tbilisi City Court sentenced Elene Khoshtaria, leader of the opposition party Droa and a member of the Coalition for Change, to one year and six months in prison. Judge Giorgi Arevadze found her guilty under Article 187(1) of Georgia’s Criminal Code — damage or destruction of property causing significant harm.

The conviction stems from an incident on September 14, 2025, when Khoshtaria wrote the words “Russian Dream” with a marker on a campaign banner of Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze near his election headquarters. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the damage was assessed at 570 GEL — approximately 210 USD.

Khoshtaria stated that her act was in solidarity with activist Megi Diasamidze, who had been detained days earlier for a similar act of protest. Diasamidze was later released on bail and her case remains pending.

Khoshtaria was arrested on September 15, 2025, the day after the incident. The court set bail at 5,000 GEL, which she refused to pay as a matter of political principle, choosing to remain in detention. She did not attend the sentencing hearing and refused to participate in any stage of the proceedings, describing the case as illegitimate. Through her lawyer, she submitted a written statement rejecting both the charges and the authority of judicial institutions she considers captured by the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Having been in custody since September 15, 2025, Khoshtaria is expected to serve approximately one more year.

International Response

The sentence was swiftly condemned by international organizations and European institutions.

Amnesty International called the sentence politically motivated. Denis Krivosheev, the organization’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Deputy Director, stated that a prison sentence for a symbolic act of protest constitutes a disproportionate restriction of freedom of expression and that the severity of punishment appeared linked to Khoshtaria’s political opinions rather than material damage.

The European Parliament had already adopted a resolution on March 12, 2026, titled “The case of Elene Khoshtaria and political prisoners under the Georgian Dream regime,” which strongly condemned politically motivated detentions in Georgia.

The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) called the sentence “wholly disproportionate” and demanded Khoshtaria’s immediate release. MEP Rasa Juknevičienė stated that political prisoners have no place in a country aspiring to join the European Union.

The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association characterized the sentence as “another example of the judiciary being used as a tool of political revenge.”

Broader Context

Khoshtaria’s sentencing is part of a wider pattern of politically motivated prosecutions in Georgia. She also faces separate charges in a broader criminal case opened in November 2025, which includes sabotage (Article 318), assisting hostile activities of a foreign country (Article 319), and financing actions against the constitutional order (Article 321¹). These charges, which carry potential sentences of up to 15 years, were brought against several opposition leaders in connection with post-election protests.

As of March 2026, the Georgian Accountability Project has documented over 130 individuals who have been arrested, charged, or convicted in connection with protests and political activity since November 2024.

Read Elene Khoshtaria’s full prisoner profile: View profile →

View the profile of Judge Giorgi Arevadze: View actor profile →