Deacon Giorgi Mamaladze Convicted in ‘Cyanide Case’ Released
On February 14, Deacon Giorgi Mamaladze, arrested in the so-called cyanide case, was released from prison early , according to his brother Tornike Mamaladze. The decision to release him one year and nine months before the end of his sentence was taken by the Conditional Release Commission of the Ministry of Justice.
Following a trial, the Tbilisi City Court found Deacon Mamaladze guilty of plotting to murder Shorena Tetruashvili, the Patriarch’s assistant, as well as of purchase and storage of firearms, (Articles 18, 108, and 236 of the Criminal Code), and sentenced him to 9 years in prison.
The verdict was also upheld by higher instance courts before the Deacon’s lawyers decided to appeal to the ECtHR in January 2019 with the complaint that Article 6 (right to a fair trial) of the European Convention on Human Rights had been violated.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) found two violations of Giorgi Mamaladze’s right to a fair trial under Article 6 of the ECHR in November of 2022. In line with its ruling, the Court ordered Georgia to pay Mamaladze GEL 9,418 (USD 3,431) within 3 months of the ruling.
Tornike Mamaladze told RFE/RL’s Georgian Service that the family’s main priority now is to improve Deacon Giorgi Mamaladze’s health and “put him on his feet, because he has been paralyzed for five years.” After that, he noted, they plan to prove the Deacon’s innocence.
According to the Social Justice Center, the organization defending Deacon Mamaladze’s interest in court, stated that the decision to release Deacon after serving 7 years was based on his compliance with institutional rules, good behavior, lack of conflicts, absence of future crime risk factors, deteriorating health, and the victim’s (Shorena Tetruashvili) agreement to legal benefits for the convict.
The Public Defender of Georgia welcomed the decision of the Conditional Release Commission. The Ombudsman’s statement notes that in 2019, based on the conclusions of the invited medical experts, the Public Defender’s Office made a recommendation to the Minister of Justice on providing proper health care to the convicted Giorgi Mamaladze. In the following years the study of the case of the Deacon continued and in October 2023 the Office made its last recommendation, drawing attention to the deteriorating health of Mamaladze.
Also Read:
- 11/03/2017 – Holy Synod Convenes on ‘Cyanide Case’
- 21/02/2017 – Patriarch Returns amid Questions on Alleged Murder Plot
- 14/02/2017 – Georgian Leaders Shocked by Alleged Murder Plot Involving ‘High-Ranking Cleric’
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
