Zviad Kharazishvili
Zviad Kharazishvili
| |
|---|---|
Georgian: ზვიად ხარაზიშვილი | |
| Director of the Special Tasks Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia | |
| In office September 2019 – 10 June 2025 | |
| Appointed by | Vakhtang Gomelauri |
| Succeeded by | Roman Kartsivadze |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 20, 1975 |
| Spouse |
|
| Children | Khareba Kharazishvili |
| Occupation | |
| Awards | |
| Military service | |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit | Special Forces Unit, State Security Service of Georgia;
13th "Shavnabada" Light Infantry Battalion; Special Tasks Department, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia; Special State Protection Service of Georgia |
| Battles/wars | 2023–2024 Georgian protests, 2024–2025 Georgian protests |
Zviad Kharazishvili (Georgian: ზვიად ხარაზიშვილი; born March 20, 1975), widely known by the nickname Khareba (Georgian: ხარება), is a Georgian security official and colonel of the police. Since September 2019 till 10th of June 2025, he has served as the director of the Special Tasks Department (STD) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
Kharazishvili has become a prominent and controversial figure due to his leadership role in the forceful suppression of anti-government protests and numerous allegations of excessive force and human rights abuses in Georgia. These actions led to him being sanctioned by the United States, United Kingdom, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic in 2024 and 2025 for serious human rights violations. His nickname "Khareba" (meaning "Annunciation" in Georgian) is reportedly an allusion to Khareba Jibuti, a character from the 1987 Soviet-Georgian film Khareba da Gogia about two outlaws who became folk heroes.