Prepared by Messenger Staff
Eight Protesters Remain in Custody as Court Upholds Preventive Measures
Tbilisi City Court has ruled to keep eight individuals in custody on charges of organizing and participating in group violence during recent protests. Judge Davit Mgeliashvili upheld the preventive measures against the detainees, rejecting the defense's requests for their release.
Prosecutor Vakhtang Tsalugelashvili argued that the risk of the detainees fleeing or committing new offenses remained high. The defense, however, opposed the prosecution's motion and proposed alternative measures, including bail amounts ranging from 5,000 to 30,000 GEL and electronic monitoring.
Following the court's decision, the trial proceeded to the stage of reviewing the admissibility of evidence. The defense filed a motion to declare the prosecution's evidence inadmissible, while the prosecution requested additional time to respond - a request the defense contested, stating that their position had not been newly introduced.
Among the detainees, Zviad Tsetskhladze, Vepkhia Kasradze, and Vasil Kadzelashvili face charges of organizing and leading group violence, which carry potential sentences of six to nine years in prison. The remaining five- Giorgi Gorgadze, Irakli Miminoshvili, Insaf Aliyev, Tornike Goshadze, and Nikoloz Javakhishvili-are accused of participating in gang violence and could face four to six years behind bars.
Prosecutor Confirms Interpol Search for Giorgi Bachiashvili Under Red Circular
According to Prosecutor Mikheil Sadradze, the relevant department has formally applied to Interpol to locate Giorgi Bachiashvili under the Red Circular, a move that aims to track down the accused.
"As far as I know, the relevant department, the structural unit, has already applied to search for Bachiashvili under the Red Circular," said Prosecutor Sadradze in a statement.
Bachiashvili faces serious charges stemming from an alleged incident in 2017. The prosecutor's office claims that Bachiashvili transferred only $536,900 to an investor in exchange for the full profit from their investment. However, the remaining 8,986 Bitcoins, valued at up to $43 million at the time, were misappropriated by Bachiashvili.
Despite the charges, Giorgi Bachiashvili denies any wrongdoing and pleads not guilty.
Initially granted bail of 2,500,000 GEL as a preventive measure, Bachiashvili's bail was later replaced by imprisonment after further developments in the case. The charges he faces carry a prison sentence of 9 to 12 years.
