Lazare Grigoriadis remains in prison despite President Salome Zurabishvili’s announced intention to pardon him. Judge Zviad Sharadze said he would use the 14 business days allowed by law to deliver the court’s decision to the parties. Only then President Zurabishvili would be able to legally issue the pardon.
Lika Bitadze, one of Grigoriadis’ lawyers, confirmed to Civil.ge that the countdown of the 14-day period began on April 12, when Grigoriadis was sentenced. The judge cited a large caseload as the reason for the delay.
Lazare Grigoriadis was sentenced to nine years in prison on April 12. Judge Zviad Sharadze found him guilty of both charges of harming the health of a police officer under Part 2 of Article 353 Prima of the Criminal Code and destroying state property under Part 2 of Article 187 of the Criminal Code.
Grigoriadis, 22, was arrested following the 2023 March 7-9 protests against the so-called Foreign Agents Law for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails at police and setting fire to a police car. 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.
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