Akhalaia is accused of calling for the overthrow of the government in Georgia.

Former Georgian Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaia has been charged with inciting the overthrow of the government.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on March 9, it was reported that Bacho Akhalaia has become a suspect in a new criminal case – inciting the overthrow of the government. He faces up to three years in prison on this charge.

The Georgian Prosecutor's Office has charged former Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaia with calls for the violent overthrow of state power, InterPressNews reported on March 27.

"The investigation has established that on February 16 of this year, during an open court hearing in the Tbilisi City Court, Bacho Akhalaia, exercising his right to speak, publicly called for the violent overthrow of Georgia's constitutional order and the state's power." "Bachana Akhalaia has been charged under Article 317 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (calls for violent change of the constitutional order of Georgia and the overthrow of state power), which carries a prison sentence of up to three years," the agency quoted the prosecutor's office as saying.

As a reminder, on December 25, 2025, it was reported that Bacho Akhalaia had been detained in connection with the riots that occurred on October 4, 2025. According to the State Security Service, Akhalaia was the main organizer of the rally. He has been charged under Article 225 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (organizing and leading group violence), which carries a prison sentence of up to nine years. Akhalaia stated that he testified under pressure from security forces, who threatened to arrest his wife.

On October 4, 2025, the day of municipal elections, thousands of people gathered in central Tbilisi. After opera singer Paata Burchaladze declared that power in Georgia belongs to the people, clashes broke out between protesters and security forces near the presidential palace. Security forces used riot gear, while protesters used firecrackers. Six demonstrators and 21 security forces were hospitalized, and another 30 people received medical treatment on the spot. Police have opened a criminal case in connection with calls to overthrow the government, attacks on police officers, and the storming of the palace.

The attempt to seize the presidential palace was doomed to failure and gave the current government a new opportunity to pressure the opposition. Analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" indicated that a peaceful change of power remains only if the opposition overcomes its disunity.

Municipal elections were held in all municipalities of Georgia on October 4. Candidates from the ruling Georgian Dream were elected mayor in all 64 cities where elections were held, receiving 100% of the vote in 26 of them. These elections determined the political balance in Georgia for the coming years, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Municipal Elections in Georgia on October 4, 2025".

The "Caucasian Knot" has compiled materials about the recent municipal elections and protests by opposition supporters on the thematic page "Georgia: Post-Election Protests".