Businessman, Animal Rights Activist Elizbarashvili Released Through Plea Deal

Tamaz Elizbarashvili, a prominent government-critical animal rights defender and businessman, was released from custody on October 22 after reaching a plea agreement with the Prosecutor’s Office in a case stemming from a confrontation at a Tbilisi restaurant involving staff of the pro-government Imedi TV channel.

Under the agreement, Elizbarashvili, 63, was sentenced to nine months in prison, with the sentence suspended for a one-year probation period. He was also fined GEL 50,000 [approximately USD 19,300], according to IPN.

Elizbarashvili pleaded guilty at the court hearing, saying: “I understand that what I said was a threat. Of course, I threatened them. I admit to the charge the Prosecutor’s Office brought against me,” media cited him as saying.

“The defendant admitted guilt and voluntarily repented of the crime committed,” Goga Kakochashvili, the prosecutor in the case, said. “With the involvement of his lawyers, he wrote a statement and applied to the prosecutor’s office asking for a plea agreement,” which was approved by the agency.

Elizbarashvili was initially detained on September 1 on administrative charges of disobeying police, as police first stopped his car and later searched his home as part of the criminal probe into making threats and illegal purchase and possession of firearms. Criminal charges of “making threats” were brought against him on September 3.

On September 4, the Prosecutor’s Office released surveillance footage that it said showed Elizbarashvili returning to a restaurant and “presumably” concealing a weapon under his jacket before later “presumably” placing it in his car. The footage showed Elizbarashvili’s right hand hidden under his jacket near his chest, and later depicted his hand released and jacket open as he returned to the scene after walking to and leaning into his car. However, no weapon was visible in the footage.

The proceedings also followed Elizbarashvili’s social media posts, including the August 31 Facebook post, where he addressed employees of the Imedi TV channel, saying they had “really crossed the line” during the encounter at a restaurant and demanding an apology by the end of the day.

In a subsequent livestream, he said about eight people identifying as Imedi TV employees confronted him over his social media posts, accusing them of pressuring him to apologize. Elizbarashvili said he refused to apologize, left to take his wife home, and returned 25 minutes later to find the group gone. He repeated his demand for an apology during the livestream, warning: “If you don’t apologize, I will find you one by one, make you kneel and [f…] you in the mouth.”

Media reports identified up to seven alleged victims in the criminal case. Among them were Shako Kutchashvili, Jaba Khubua, Sandro Gamsakhurdia and Nika Kldiashvili, who reportedly work for the pro-government TV Imedi.

Also Read:

• 23/07/2026 – Stand-Up Comedian Assaulted Following Campaign by Pro-Government Media Over His Remarks About Writer Nodar Dumbadze
• 28/05/2026 – Six Arrested Over Gori Police Violence Incident, Prosecutors Say

Follow Us