In a move that has sent shockwaves through Georgia’s media landscape, Eliso Kiladze, the editor-in-chief of Qronika Plus and Cnews news agancy, was detained by masked special forces on Wednesday morning.
While the government alleges her involvement in a high-stakes fraud ring, Kiladze and her supporters maintain that the arrest is a calculated attempt to suppress explosive investigative findings.
A dawn raid and controversial charges
The arrest took place outside Kiladze’s home between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. on Feb. 18. Despite her high public profile and consistent presence in the media, the authorities opted for a heavy-handed operation involving masked officers from the Investigative Service, according to local outlet Civil Georgia.
The Prosecutor’s Office has charged Kiladze with “membership in an organized criminal group” allegedly led by sanctioned former Prosecutor General Otar Partskhaladze and the Mikadze brothers. The state claims Kiladze was part of a transnational “call center” scheme involving money laundering and fraud.
“Fabricated charges”
From police custody, Kiladze hit back with a handwritten statement, categorically rejecting the prosecution’s narrative. Her defense rests on the argument that she is being targeted not for criminal activity, but for her role as a whistleblower.
“The charges are clearly fabricated,” Kiladze stated. “I have been exposing the ‘call center’ industry and its links to powerful figures like David Kezerashvili [former Defense Minister]. Now, they are trying to frame my investigative work as criminal competition.”
Kiladze’s most potent argument links her arrest to her recent investigation into the murder of Levan Jangveladze, the brother of a prominent criminal figure. She claims to have uncovered evidence that fundamentally contradicts the official state account of the crime.
Kiladze asserts that her reporting “collapsed” the government’s fabricated case regarding the murder.
She argues the state launched this “new, imaginary charge” of fraud specifically to prevent her from releasing further incriminating evidence in the Jangveladze trial. While Kiladze admits to a personal friendship with David Mikadze, she denies any professional or criminal ties to Otar Partskhaladze, whom she claims not to know at all.
Eliso Kiladze has long been a thorn in the side of both the ruling party and certain opposition figures. The use of masked special forces to arrest a journalist famous for her exclusives and exposés has drawn immediate criticism. In the Georgian context, such high-profile detentions are often viewed through the lens of political pressure.