Irakli Garibashvili faces accusations of pro-French bias and questions over human rights defender death

Former Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, currently serving a five-year prison sentence for money laundering, is facing renewed political scrutiny and accusations from media outlets.

Pro-government Georgian media have amplified reports from the Azerbaijani outlet Haqqin.az, which alleges that Garibashvili acted as an agent for French interests during his tenure. The reports claim his policies favored Paris over Tbilisi, specifically citing defense agreements involving French air-defense systems and significant French financial assistance programs. The Azerbaijani report suggests that delays in integrating these systems left gaps in Georgia's national defense.

In a separate letter released from prison, Garibashvili has challenged the current administration regarding the death of human rights defender Lazare Jorbenadze. He is calling for transparency concerning the circumstances of Jorbenadze's death, which was officially ruled a suicide. Garibashvili also addressed allegations from government representatives that he was involved in the publication of critical journalistic content targeting current Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, a claim he has categorically denied.