Lazare Grigoriadis Case Adjourned as Defense Accuses Court of Deliberate Delay
On January 15, the Tbilisi City Court adjourned the trial of Lazare Grigoriadis. As a result, Grigoriadis, 22, who was arrested in connection with March 7-9 protests for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails at police and setting fire to a police car, remains in custody. The next session is scheduled for February 26, when the final verdict is expected to be announced.
Grigoriadis’ lawyers and family members accuse the court of deliberately dragging out the trial. They also say that the court has no evidence to convict him, but due to the lack of trust in the judiciary, they still expect a guilty verdict. In such a scenario, the defense said it plans to ask President Salome Zurabishvili for a pardon. “This is the only leverage we have left,” – said Grigoriadis’ mother, Tamta Kalandadze. Grigoriadis’ lawyer Lika Bitadze also confirmed the information that the defense will ask the President for a pardon “the very next day after the verdict is announced”.
Lazare Grigoriadis was arrested on March 29, following March 7-9 mass protests in Tbilisi against the so-called Foreign Agents’ Law. He was arrested for allegedly throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at police. On 31 March, the court sentenced Lazare Grigoriadis to preventive detention.
His arrest was viewed as controversial and sparked peaceful protests, as it was viewed as a retribution of the system against youth and civic activists who took part in the March protests. His lawyers and defenders argued that Grigoriadis is innocent and was typecast for his appearance to fit the description of the “satanist” and “disoriented” youth that the ruling party leadership vilified after the protests.
Also Read:
- 22/11/2023 – Police Officers Urge President Zurabishvili Not to Pardon Lazare Grigoriadis
- 25/09/2023 – Tbilisi Court Finds Lazare Grigoriadis Guilty of Assaulting his Father
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