The trial of 19-year-old Omar Okribelashvili and 23-year-old Saba Meparishvili has been postponed once again at the Tbilisi City Court. The defense had hoped the trial would resume today and that Judge Natia Gudadze would announce the verdict in the Iron Dam Damage case.
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According to Okribelashvili’s lawyer, Davit Gamkrelidze, the trial was postponed due to Prosecutor Nugzar Chitadze's inaction.
The next hearing in the case will take place in January 2025. Family members and lawyers of the detainees believe the case is being deliberately delayed so that, in the event of a guilty verdict, President Salome Zourabichvili will not have time to pardon them before the end of her term.
Saba Meparishvili and Omar Okribelashvili were arrested on May 16 during protests against a Russian law. The prosecutor’s office accuses the young men of collectively damaging an iron fence temporarily installed by the police near the parliament building in Tbilisi, causing 400 GEL in damage to the state. Of this, 250 GEL is the actual damage, and 150 GEL is the cost of repairs.
The detainees have been charged under Article 187, Part 2, Subparagraph c of the Criminal Code, which involves the group damage of an item. The crime is punishable by 3 to 6 years of imprisonment.
On this topic:
Exemplary Punishment: Up to 6 Years in Prison for Damaging Dam Worth 250 GEL
