Prepared by Messenger Staff
Elene Khoshtaria Rejects Court Proceedings and Legal Defense
Opposition politician Elene Khoshtaria has announced that she will not participate in court hearings or accept legal defense in the case against her. In a letter published on her social media, she called the charges a "farce" and urged supporters not to attend the hearings.
"I refuse defense, I refuse to appear in court, and I ask everyone not to worry and not to come," Khoshtaria wrote.
She described a recent encounter at the detention center, where an official delivered the indictment. "Today, a 'respectable man' entered the detention center with a carefully shaved beard and neat appearance. I greeted him, but in just a few minutes this man turned into a bolt of the Russian system, which I watched with heartache," she said. "He really thought that he was conducting something serious. Of course, I stopped this performance."
Khoshtaria emphasized that she considers any participation in the process unacceptable. "I want you to understand, especially my friends and supporters. I consider it unacceptable to participate in this farce even by a millimeter. Technically following their falsehood even in a small dose is to accept this, and I do not intend to do so," she wrote.
She thanked her lawyer, Shota Tutberidze, for agreeing to what she called an "unusual form" of resistance, concluding with the words: "Till the end!"
The Prosecutor's Office of Georgia has charged Khoshtaria with intentional damage to property. According to investigators, she damaged three banners belonging to the ruling Georgian Dream party in Tbilisi on September 14, causing an estimated loss of 570 GEL.
"The Prosecutor's Office will apply to the court within the time limit established by law for the use of a preventive measure against the defendant," the agency said in a statement.
Eka Beselia Calls Detention of Coalition for Change Leader Elene Khoshtaria Illegal
Lawyer and former MP Eka Beselia visited Elene Khoshtaria, one of the leaders of the opposition Coalition for Change, who is being held in the temporary detention center in Zahesi. Beselia said Khoshtaria was in good health and had not reported mistreatment, but described the grounds for her detention as unlawful.
"I visited Elene Khoshtaria. First of all, I wanted to get information about her health and see the conditions. She feels strong and hopeful," Beselia told reporters. "She did not express any concerns about the conditions. She said that she was being treated normally and there was no unethical, illegal or disrespectful behavior towards her. The only problem was the restriction of correspondence."
Beselia argued that the investigation against Khoshtaria has no legal basis. "The grounds for the detention are illegal. She has not yet been charged. There is no wording in the Criminal Code that an inscription on a banner would give rise to a criminal investigation," she said.
She contrasted the case with violent crimes that, in her view, often go unpunished. "People were mutilated, beaten to death and no investigation has been initiated into this. Such an action, which is within or even beyond the limits of expression, is a matter of constitutional standards and has nothing to do with the article of the Criminal Law under which the investigation was initiated," Beselia noted.
According to her, any formal indictment would violate both domestic and international law. "Indicting her under this article would be a violation of the Constitution, the Convention and the Code. Indicting her will be an illegal procedure. It is even funny when we talk about it, especially in light of the crimes that have occurred," she said.
