Okruashvili was sentenced to 5 years in prison in June 20-21 case
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Wednesday, April 15
On April 13th, Tbilisi city Court sentenced Irakli Okruashvili, the leader of the opposition party Victorious Georgia, to 5 years in prison.
The investigation accuses Okruashvili of crimes under Article 225, Parts 1 and 2 of the Criminal Code of Georgia on June 20-21 events, which includes organising, leading or participating in mass violence. The court acquitted Okruashvili of leading group violence, but found him guilty of participating in group violence.
According to Vazha Todua, the prosecutor in the case of convict Okruashvili, oppositioner was leading a group of 30 people on the night of June 20-21. He said that after the announcement of the verdict, the testimonies of the mentioned witnesses and the materials of the case are confirmed.
Todua claims that the prosecution’s position depended on the evidence examined in court, ‘thus proving his participation and his leadership.’ He also emphasizes that numerous witnesses, including police officers confirmed that Okruashvili was leading a group of about 30 people, urging them to break the police cordon and enter the building of Parliament; there are numerous videos provided, where Okruashvili says ‘let's go’ during the parliament attack. However, the court considered the evidence insufficient.
According to the prosecutor, after handing over the reasoned verdict, the Prosecutor's Office will appeal the court decision.
Okruashvili's lawyer, Mamuka Chabashvili, also plans to appeal the City Court's decision to the higher level of judiciary, since the defense doesn’t share it.
As Mamuka Chabashvili stated after the trial, the court acquitted Irakli Okruashvili in the part of the group violence leadership, however, he found him guilty of participating in the group violence.
Chabashvili calls the decision political, reiterating that the accusation consisted of two parts and Okruashvili was found guilty of participating in group violence, whilst there were hundreds of people involved and Okruashvili was sentenced to 5 years in prison. He also repeated policemen’s words that there was a mass of people pushing the cordon, including Okruashvili, and emphasized that no evidence or witnesses confirm that Okruashvili physically touched anyone, or some form of violence was caused by his shouting.
“Dozens of people were brought to court every day during the rallies and were either fined or sentenced to several days of administrative detention, because of analogous jostles,” Chabashvili said, adding that, naturally, they plan to appeal, but they don’t have high expectations, because when the politics is ahead of Law, other circumstances should probably solve the issue.
According to Davit Matikashvili, a member of the parliamentary majority, Okruashvili's attempt to invade the parliament is well-known to the public and the court just confirmed it. As Matikashvili stated, today, the government does not interfere in the court case.
On the other hand, Grigol Vashadze, the Chairman of the United National Movement, calls the court's decision on Irakli Okruashvili's case political. As he stated, there is no evidence of Irakli Okruashvili’s guilt in the case.
“Nothing works in the country except the Chinchaladze-Murusidze court. It is an absolutely political, finger-pointing affair. There is no evidence, no video, no photo, no witness. Such shameful processes must end in Georgia,” he announced, adding that if they don’t find a solution, they will get a proper answer after pandemic ends.
The US Embassy in Georgia also commented on the issue, saying that the case of Okruashvili overshadows the impartiality of the proceedings.
The statement, released on April 14th, reads that the timing and circumstances of Okruashvili’s arrest raised concerns about political interference and the selective use of justice.
“The case casts a shadow over the impartial application of justice – a concern the March 8th Joint Statement was intended to dispel,” says the release, urging all signatories to uphold the letter and spirit of the March 8 agreement.
Okruashvili has also been charged for another case. The investigation accuses him of abusing the authority of Amiran (Buta) Robakidze and his entourage on November 24th, 2004. At that time, Okruashvili was the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia. Former Prosecutor General Zurab Adeishvili has been charged together with Okruashvili in the case. The next court hearing of the case of Okruashvili, accused in the case of Robakidze, will be held on April 15th in the City Court.
