Irakli Shaishmelashvili has been arrested in absentia in Georgia.

THIS MATERIAL (INFORMATION) WAS PRODUCED AND DISTRIBUTED BY THE FOREIGN AGENT MEMO LLC, OR CONCERNING THE ACTIVITIES OF THE FOREIGN AGENT MEMO LLC.

A Tbilisi court has arrested in absentia one of the defendants in the case of the storming of the presidential palace, former security official Irakli Shaishmelashvili, who currently resides abroad.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," the prosecutor's office has brought charges against 16 more people whom security forces believe participated in the unrest in Tbilisi on the day of the municipal elections. The total number of defendants in the case of the storming of the presidential palace has reached 62. Among the defendants is Irakli Shaishmelashvili, former head of the Operational Planning Department of the Special Assignments Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The Tbilisi City Court ordered Irakli Shaishmelashvili to be remanded in absentia, Georgia Online reported on October 18.

The prosecution petitioned for this measure of restraint, and the court fully upheld their position. According to investigators, Shaishmelashvili publicly called for the violent overthrow of the Georgian constitutional order and the government, and also attempted to demoralize Ministry of Internal Affairs employees.

In addition to Shaishmelashvili, the 62 defendants in the case of the storming of the presidential palace include another defendant, who is currently abroad. The former security official himself left Georgia with his family in connection with the events that took place in the country in November-December 2024.

As a reminder, on October 4, the day of municipal elections, thousands of people gathered in central Tbilisi. After opera singer Paata Burchuladze 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 officers 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 will determine the political balance in Georgia for the coming years. The next major elections in the country are scheduled for 2028, so the current vote is essentially crucial for both the government and the opposition, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Municipal Elections in Georgia on October 4, 2025".

"Caucasian Knot" is posting materials about the recent municipal elections and protests by opposition supporters on the thematic page "Georgia: Elections Amid Protests".