
Tbilisi Court Remands Two Protesters in Custody
On January 21, Tbilisi’s City Court remanded two protesters, Davit Lomidze and Temur Zasokhashvili, in custody.
The two were arrested on December 1 during the pro-European protest rally near the Parliament building in Tbilisi. They are accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at MIA’s Special Tasks Department officers and setting fire to the water cannon truck, and are officially charged with assaulting a police officer (Part 1 of Article 353 Prima of Georgia’s Criminal Code), which carries a prison sentence of four to seven years.
Their lawyers argue that the video footage fails to identify them as being involved in the crime. One of the lawyers also said that the evidence collected at the scene of the crime bears no relation to the crime of which they are accused. But Judge Nato Khujadze accepted the prosecutor’s request and kept them in custody. The court justified its decision by claiming that the detainees might repeat the crime.
The next hearing in the Lomidze and Zasokhashvili case will be held on February 4.
The ongoing protests, sparked by an announcement from Irakli Kobakhidze that Georgia aborts its EU bid, have now entered their 55th day, with many protesters detained, both on administrative and criminal (more than 50 people) charges. The practice of keeping the detained activists in prison despite questionable evidence has been criticized by human rights groups and observers, who say the cases are politically motivated. The watchdogs have noted and denounced frequent inconsistencies in police testimony against the accused.
Also Read:
- 20/01/2025 – GYLA: Amaghlobeli Criminal Prosecution a Political Repression
- 11/01/2025 – Judge Remands Eight Protesters in Custody, Sparking Outcry
- 10/01/2025 – Court Remands in Custody 11 Protesters as Supporters Rally Outside
- 03/01/2025 – Testimonies of Police Brutality During Pro-European Rallies
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