Tbilisi City Court Judge Nana Shamatava has sentenced Gela Khasaia, an activist and member of the opposition Girchi–More Freedom party, to pretrial detention after prosecutors charged him with intentional infliction of a less serious bodily harm committed in a group, a crime punishable by four to six years in prison.
Khasaia and one more person were arrested on September 29 in connection with a September 1 incident in which prosecutors have claimed he and another person intentionally harmed an individual. At first, the Interior Ministry said the two were arrested on different charges, “intentional infliction of minor harm to health” under Article 120 of the Criminal Code, noting it was punishable by a sentence of up to three years in jail. Prosecutors later reclassified it as the heavier charge of “intentional infliction of less serious harm to health” under Article 118-2, also adding a group element.
During the court hearing, Khasaia said that in the police department following his detention, he was strip-searched twice and reminded of Mzia Amaghlobeli and Saba Skhvitaridze, both in jail on protest-related charges.
Khasaia has pleaded not guilty. His lawyer and supporters say the arrest and prosecution are politically motivated, noting that he has been active in pro-EU and anti–Georgian Dream protests and has been detained several times on administrative charges. They said police officers had previously warned him that he would face a criminal case, and that one officer reminded him of that “promise” after his arrest.
His arrest has drawn international outcry.
“Absolutely unacceptable continuation of repression from the Georgian government. Free Gela!” MEP Markétka Gregorová wrote on X on September 30.
“Another politically motivated arrest in Georgia,” Ukrainian MEP Yevheniia Kravchuk wrote on X, adding, “This is not just about one person. It is about Georgia’s democratic future.”
As many as eleven opposition figures are currently behind bars on various charges, including six party leaders. Among them are all four leaders of the parties within the Coalition for Change, an opposition alliance that includes Girchi – More Freedom.
Also Read:
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- 26/04/2024 – Tbilisi City Court Fines Protestors Against Foreign Agents Bill
- 04/12/2024 – Police Raids, Arrests Opposition, Activists
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