The announcement of verdicts for Anatoli Gigauri and Giorgi Akhobadze, both participants in pro-European rallies, has been postponed by the Tbilisi City Court. The dates for their next hearings have not yet been announced.
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Today, July 28, Anatoli Gigauri, accused of assaulting a police officer, delivered his closing statement. However, the expectation of his family and lawyer that Judge Jvebe Natchkhebia would announce the verdict today was not met.
The judge explained that there are "several important issues presented by the parties that require careful re-examination." Natchkhebia also mentioned the concept of "necessary defense," a point raised by the defense, stating it's a "broad issue, consisting of components, and the confirmation or non-confirmation of each can be decisive."
"The judge himself told us that the verdict would be announced today, but it turned out that it was postponed at the final stage," said Gigauri's lawyer, Lasha Tsutskiridze.
Tsutskiridze also represents Giorgi Akhobadze, a doctor arrested on drug charges. The verdict in Akhobadze's case was supposed to be announced by Judge Romeo Mikautadze today at 10:00 AM. However, yesterday, July 27, the lawyer was contacted by the court and informed that the new date for the verdict announcement would be communicated later.
"I have many doubts and assumptions, but at this stage, I will refrain, at least until the verdicts are announced in both Akhobadze's and Gigauri's cases. Despite the legal possibility of reclassification, I still lean towards the judge having two options for a decision – either to acquit Gigauri or to find him guilty. The same applies to Akhobadze's case," Lasha Tsutskiridze said today.
Anatoli Gigauri was arrested on November 25 of last year and charged with assaulting a police officer, a crime punishable by 4 to 7 years in prison. Gigauri denies the charges, claiming he acted within the scope of necessary self-defense.
As for Giorgi Akhobadze, he was arrested on December 7, 2024, upon returning home from a protest rally on Rustaveli Avenue. The prosecution accuses him of illegal acquisition and storage of large quantities of narcotic substances, which carries a penalty of 8 to 20 years or life imprisonment.
Akhobadze claims that police officers planted the drugs and artificially transferred traces of his biological material – saliva – to the drug packaging. There is no video recording in the case showing the police searching Giorgi Akhobadze and seizing the narcotic substance. No neutral witness was present during the search process either. Giorgi Akhobadze delivered his closing statement at the July 24 hearing, reiterating that the criminal case against him was fabricated from the outset.
Last week, the prosecutor's office reclassified the charges against Saba Skhvitaridze, an activist and member of the Ahali party who was detained during the protests, under the article of "intentional minor health damage." Initially, the state prosecution claimed that the accused attacked a police officer and caused injuries using a baton. If the initial charges were proven, Skhvitaridze faced 7 to 11 years in prison.
