US Embassy and political parties slam the guilty judgment against Irakli Okruashvili

 

Review

On April 13, the Tbilisi City Court sentenced Irakli Okruashvili, leader of the political party “Victorious Georgia”, to five-year imprisonment in relation with the June 20-21, 2019 events. The opposition parties slammed the court judgment. The US Embassy in Georgia also released a brief statement of concern. 

According to the prosecution, Irakli Okruashvili organized and participated in group violence during the June 20-21, 2019 protest demonstration. Consequently, he was charged under the Article 225 of the Criminal Code of Georgia for the organization and participation in the group violence. 

Judge Lavrenti Maghlakelidze acquitted him in organization of the group violence because the provided evidence failed to satisfy the standard beyond reasonable doubt. As for the participation in the group violence, the Judge clarified that the accused person was found guilty and sent him to prison for five years in length. 

For the prevention of the spread of the COVID-19, in the course of state of emergency, besides the case parties, the monitors also attended announcement of the judgement in the Tbilisi City Court upon the preliminary agreement of the judge. HRC monitor also attended the hearing. 

Irakli Okruashvili’s lawyer Mamuka Tchabashvili said, he intends to appeal the judgment in the Appellate Court. According to his assessment, the judgment was not fair and it was politically motivated. Tchabashvili added that in case of similar charges brought against other defendants, the Court imposed a fine or several-day administrative imprisonment on the others, who were also accused of the participation in the June 20-21 protest demonstration, while the court imposed strict punishment on Irakli Okruashvili.

Lawyer Mamuka Tchabashvili noted that before the Appellate Court examines the case, President of Georgia may pardon Irakli Okruashvili. He does not know whether Irakli Okruashvili will petition the President Zurabishvili for pardon though the president may pardon him even without petition.

On April 14, the US Embassy in Georgia released a brief statement of concern about the imprisonment term imposed on Irakli Okruashvili: “The timing and circumstances of Irakli 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 8 Joint Statement was intended to dispel. We urge all signatories to uphold the letter and spirit of the March 8 agreement.”

Political assessments 

The opposition political parties slammed the judgment of the Tbilisi City Court. The leaders of the opposition parties blame the government in the violation of the agreement. 

A leader of the European Georgia Giga Bokeria said the Government violated the March 8 agreement and all individuals, who were subjects of the negotiations between the GoG and the opposition parties, shall be released – Irakli Okruashvili, Giorgi Rurua and Gigi Ugulava among them. Another leader of the European Georgia Elene Khoshtaria said the judgment was political decision and noted that according to the agreement all political prisoners shall be released. 

A leader of the United National Movement Salome Samadashvili said the Government of Georgia was not going to implement the agreement and currently, besides the economic crisis, they are leading the situation into a political crisis too. 

Chairman of the legal committee of the Parliament of Georgia Anri Okhanashvili responded to the criticism of the opposition parties and stated that it is unjustified to bring politics into judiciary and the opposition requests the politicians to interfere with the court. 

Executive secretary of the Georgian Dream Irakli Kobakhidze clarified there was an obvious attempt of bursting into the Parliament that is a very grave offense and there are no question marks here. 

Human Rights Center, in the frame of the project Public Events Monitoring, monitors court hearings over allegedly politically motivated cases. The criminal case launched against Irakli Okruashvili in relation with the June 20-21 events was one of them. The project is implemented with the financial support of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and it will last from February 1 to December 31, 2020.

Human Rights Center