Today, on 4 February 2025, the judge of the Tbilisi City Court, Mikheil Jinjolia, issued a judgment of conviction in the criminal cases of two more individuals – Giorgi Kuchuashvili and Davit Koldari - accused in connection with the protests against the Russian Law. This is the last case related to individuals detained during the Russian Law protests.
The prosecution charged Giorgi Kuchuashvili with attacking a police officer, and Davit Koldari with damaging property. The court found both accused guilty of the charges brought against them. Giorgi Kuchuashvili was sentenced to 4 years of imprisonment, while Davit Koldari was sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment. However, since Koldari was on a conditional sentence during the commission of the crime, his sentence was eventually set to 2 years and 3 months of imprisonment.
It is noteworthy that Article 1(2) of the 2024 Law of Georgia “On Amnesty” provides for the exemption of an individual from criminal liability and sentence, if they have committed a crime under Article 187(1) of the Criminal Code (damaging or destroying another person’s property which has resulted in substantial damage), provided that the victim expresses consent before the investigative authority or the court for the amnesty to apply to the individual under the mentioned provision. Based on the above, it was possible that amnesty also applied to Article 187 of the CCG, under which Davit Koldari was accused. However, the representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (the damaged property was the police car), who was considered as a victim in the criminal case, refused to extend amnesty to Davit Koldari.
GYLA, again related to this case, outlines that the ongoing criminal cases against the activists are not free from possible motives of political persecution. This belief is reinforced in the present case, not only by questionable grounds for lengthening the court proceedings but also by the refusal of the state representative to apply amnesty to Davit Koldari. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association will publish a comprehensive assessment of this case following familiarization with the judgment.
Below, we present information about the types and measures of sentences of individuals detained during the protests against the Russian law:
Accused: | Accusation under the Article of the Criminal Code of Georgia: | Judge: | The Type and Measure of Sentence: |
Giorgi Kuchuashvili
| 3531(1) - Attacking a police officer. | Judge Mikheil Jinjolia considered the criminal case on the merits. | Imprisonment for a term of 4 years. |
Davit Koldari
| 187(1) - Damage or destruction of property. | Judge Mikheil Jinjolia considered the criminal case on the merits. | Imprisonment for a term of 2 years and 3 months. |
Giorgi Okmelashvili
| 3531(1) - Attacking a police officer; and 260 - Illegal manufacturing, production, purchase, storage, transportation, transfer or sale of drugs, their analogues, precursors or new psychoactive substances. | Judge Giorgi Gelashvili considered the criminal case on the merits. | Amnesty applied to Article 260 and criminal prosecution was terminated in this regard. Imprisonment for a term of 5 years. |
Fridon Bubuteishvili
| 187(1) - Damage or destruction of property; 3531(1) - Attacking a police officer. | Judge Zviad Sharadze considered the criminal case on the merits. | Imprisonment for a term of 5 years. |
Omar Okribelashvili
| 187(2) – Damage or destruction of property by a group of persons. | Judge Natia Gudadze considered the criminal case on the merits. | Imprisonment for a term of 2 years and 6 months, with 1 year of conditional sentence (plea bargain) |
Saba Meparishvili
| 187(2) – Damage or destruction of property by a group of persons | Judge Natia Gudadze considered the criminal case on the merits. | Imprisonment for a term of 2 years and 6 months, with 1 year of conditional sentence (plea bargain) |
Irakli Meghvinetukhutsesi
| 3531(1) - Attacking a police officer. | Judge Zviad Sharadze considered the criminal case on the merits. | Imprisonment for a term of 5 years, with restriction of the rights regarding weapons. |
Giorgi Shanidze
| 187(1) - Damage or destruction of property; 265 - Illegal sowing, growing or cultivation of plants containing narcotics. | Judge Mikheil Jinjolia considered the criminal case on the merits. | Imprisonment for a term of 4 years (was pardoned by the President of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili) |
Andrei Rautberg
| 187(1) - Damage or destruction of property. | Judge Natia Gudadze considered the criminal case on the merits. | Fine in the amount of 3000 GEL. |
Vazha Durglishvili
| 187(1) - Damage or destruction of property | The information is being confirmed. | Conditional Sentence. |
