Georgia’s interior ministry announced a major reshuffle on June 10, which saw the exit of the notorious Special Tasks Department head, Zviad “Khareba” Kharazishvili.

According to the interior ministry, Kharazishvili resigned his post, though it remains unclear whether he will now take on a new position.

He will be replaced by Roman Kartsivadze, about whom little public information is available.

The reshuffle follows the resignation of the sanctioned Georgian interior minister, Vakhtang Gomelauri, on May 28, and his deputy, Ioseb Chelidze, on June 3.

Kharazishvili is under sanctions from the UK, US, and several EU member states for his role in facilitating violent police crackdowns during pro-European, anti-government demonstrations in Tbilisi.

Protesters took the streets in the Georgian capital in spring 2024 after the incumbent Georgian Dream (GD) government adopted a controversial “foreign agents” law, and again in November after GD suspended accession talks with the EU.

Riot police – under the instruction of Kharazishvili – deployed tear gas, pepper spray, water cannons and brute force in an attempt to disperse crowds on Tbilisi’s Rustaveli Avenue.

Hundreds of demonstrators reported brutal physical and psychological mistreatment at the hands of law enforcement.

Amidst further changes, the sanctioned head of the Patrol Police Vazha Siradze, also resigned, and will now direct the Tbilisi Police Department. His prior position will be be filled by Levan Maisuradze.

The Georgian interior minister said that “the ongoing personnel changes at the Ministry of Internal Affairs serve to further strengthen and develop the system”.

According to political analyst Vakhtang Dzabiradze, the resignations of Kharazishvili and other sanctioned officials signals a “facelift” within the ruling party, namely the GD government seeking to “change its façade by removing personnel linked to atrocities [against protesters]”, as reported by JamNews.