Elene Khoshtaria

Stencil depicting Elene Khoshtaria with the Georgian inscription თავისუფლება ლომთა ხვედრია ("Freedom is the destiny of lions.")

Elene Khoshtaria s a Georgian politician, political scientist, and pro-European opposition figure. A former Deputy State Minister for European Integration and long-time member of parliament, she is now chair of the opposition party Droa and known for her criticism of the ruling party and advocacy for closer ties with the EU.

She rose to wider prominence during the June 2019 “Gavrilov Night” protests, when she and other MPs opposed the appearance of Russian Duma deputy Sergei Gavrilov in the Georgian parliament - an event that sparked mass demonstrations and became a defining moment in recent Georgian politics.

On 15 September 2025, Khoshtaria was arrested after writing the words “Russian Dream” on an election poster of Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze in solidarity with human rights activist Megi Diasamidze. On 24 March 2026, the Tbilisi City Court sentenced her to one year and six months in prison for damaging property. Amnesty International criticized the sentence as politically motivated and disproportionate.

In 2021, Khoshtaria went on a hunger strike to demand the transfer of imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili to a civilian hospital.

She later developed a serious autoimmune condition, which possibly linked to the physical strain of the hunger strike and exposure to chemical irritants during the violent dispersal of protests. The condition has caused severe joint pain and mobility problems. Her health reportedly deteriorated significantly during her imprisonment, and on 1 July 2026 she was transferred from prison to Vivamedi Clinic following reports of a serious decline in her condition.