Judge Kobakhidze Explains ‘Many Factors’ Behind Quitting Constitutional Court Amid Party Ban Case

Judge Manana Kobakhidze spoke with RFE/RL’s Georgian Service about “many factors” — including her human rights advocacy before 2012 and her Georgian Dream past — that “cumulatively” led to her “personal” decision to resign from the Constitutional Court after her request to recuse herself from the ruling party’s lawsuit seeking to ban five opposition parties was rejected.

The judge had requested to recuse herself from the party ban case, citing, among others, concerns that her previous political activities and statements could raise doubts about her impartiality. Kobakhidze was a founding member of the ruling Georgian Dream party in 2012 and had served as a Georgian Dream MP prior to her election to the Constitutional Court in 2017. Before coming to politics, she worked as a human rights advocate, including serving as the head of the NGO Article 42 of the Constitution (currently Rights Georgia).

“This is a lawsuit by MPs. Most of the plaintiffs represent the Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party, and if a founding member of that same party, who was also its first chairperson, were to hear the case, whatever oath she may have taken, would these circumstances together create grounds that would raise doubts among the public, in an objective observer?” she told the outlet.

• Backgrounder: Constitutional Court Starts Hearing Opposition Party Ban Case

Kobakhidze added that being a former politician was not the only factor, noting she requested the recusal “cumulatively, taking many factors into account.”

“I was a lawyer for victims of human rights violations [under the United National Movement’s rule]. I had numerous heated discussions and political debates from public platforms, including in Parliament, where I openly called on them [former ruling party/UNM] to take responsibility for these systemic violations and specific crimes, and to leave politics altogether,” she noted.

Kobakhidze said she plans to return to practising law: “I don’t want my legal career to end with my judicial tenure.”

Reacting to the judge’s request to recuse herself from proceedings on October 12, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said her past political career was no reason for her to step aside from the case. “She was once a founder of a particular party, and this is her tenth year as a judge. She has no connection whatsoever to that political party, and nobody is preventing her from forming a new position toward another party, or from acting otherwise,” he said.

The seven-judge plenum of the Constitutional Court will begin hearing the lawsuit, which targets five opposition parties, on October 21. Among the targeted parties are United National Movement (UNM), Lelo/Strong Georgia, Ahali/Coalition for Change, Federalists, and For Georgia.

Also Read:

• 20/10/2026 – Gakharia’s For Georgia Seeks Separate Examination in GD’s Opposition Party Ban Case
• 23/09/2026 – Two New Constitutional Court Judges Appointed As Critics Fear ‘No More Dissenting Opinions’
• 17/10/2025 – Judge Quits Constitutional Court Amid Looming Appeal to Ban Parties, Individuals from Politics

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