Court replaces Nika Melia’s pre-trial detention with release on bail, UNM chair leaves prison.

By Khatia Bzhalava

Tuesday, May 11

“I would like to thank all supporters who want stability in the country,” UNM Chair Nika Melia said.

Nika Melia's bail GEL40 000 was paid by the European Union on May 8. The funds were made available by European Endowment for Democracy.

United National Movement Chair Nika Melia left prison yesterday, following the decision of the Tbilisi City Court to substitute his pre-trial detention with a release on bail. The decision came after the European Union posted Melia’s GEL40,000 bail on May 8, per the EU-mediated agreement reached between Georgian political parties in April. Defendant Melia himself was not present at the hearing, as he had been expelled from the courtroom during the previous trial for disrespect towards the judge.

After leaving the 12th penitentiary in Rustavi, Melia thanked all the international partners engaged in the EU-mediated talks, including EU Ambassador Carl Hartzell, European Council President Charles Michel, and U.S. Ambassador Kelly Degnan. Melia especially highlighted the contribution of Z?ygimantas Pavilionis, the Chairman of the Lithuanian Foreign Affairs Committee. “With no exaggeration, Pavilionis is a person who has awakened the international community… If not Pavilionis’s efforts, I do not think the responses from the international community would be the same” Melia said.

Melia did not give a concrete answer on entering the parliament. As he announced, very intense consultations would be held in the following days with the leaders of the National Movement bloc and the parties that have entered the parliament. “It will take several days to make the final decision. I know for a fact that there are different positions inside the party [UNM] on this issue,” Melia stated.

Tbilisi City Court ruled imprisonment for Nika Melia in February. He is charged with incitement to violence during the June protests in Tbilisi in 2019. He was released on GEL 30,000 bail, however, UNM Chairman violated the bail conditions by removing his monitoring bracelet, resulting in the court’s decision to increase the bail amount to GEL40,000 in November 2020. Melia refused to pay the added bail as he considered it unfair. In February, Tbilisi City Court replaced Melia’s bail with custody. He was arrested on February 23. The release of the UNM head was one of the major demands of the opposition during the EU-mediated talks between the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition.