Nika Melia Sentenced to 1.5 Years for Splashing Water at Judge
Nika Melia, co-chair of the opposition Ahali party, has been sentenced to one year and six months in prison after the Tbilisi City Court found him guilty of contempt of court over a May 30 incident in which he splashed water at Judge Irakli Shvangiradze during a tense hearing.
Melia has been in custody since May 30. On June 27, he was sentenced to eight months in prison for defying the Georgian Dream Parliament’s temporary investigative commission, which examined alleged crimes by former officials. Like many other opposition politicians, Melia refused to appear before the commission, boycotting the ruling-party-dominated legislature. He was due to be released in January.
The new sentence stems from the May 30 hearing held a day after his controversial arrest, which Melia and his supporters described as an “abduction.” During the hearing, Melia attempted to recount the circumstances of his arrest and, after concluding that the judge showed little interest in his account, splashed water at him. Melia was removed from the courtroom, placed in pre-trial detention in the Tsulukiani Commission case, and later, on June 20, charged over the incident. His new sentence will be counted from that date. Prosecutors said he also verbally assaulted the judge while being removed from the courtroom.
While already behind bars, several detained politicians, including Melia, have faced additional and more serious, sabotage-related charges. Melia himself has been accused of sabotage, an offense punishable by two to four years in prison.
Also Read:
- 20/11/2025 – Jailed Opposition Leader Zurab Japaridze Rejects Early Release
- 20/06/2025 – Prosecutors File New Charge Against Nika Melia
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