The trial of Nika Melia, the Chairman of the United National Movement, has been postponed until May 13. Today, at the trial scheduled for April 29, the defense was to appear before the court with an introductory speech.
The motion to postpone the trial was filed by the defense, arguing that the case is politically motivated, amnesty bills have been initiated, and the scheduled trial is “a fraud.”
Melia’s lawyer Giorgi Kondakhishvili claimed that that the trial is “an imitation of justice” and they consider it a deception to talk about legal details.
“Therefore, we do not consider it expedient to talk about legal details in the introductory speech,” said the defense.
“We ask for the trial to be postponed until the government makes a decision,” he added.
Defendant Nika Melia himself was not present at the hearing, as he had been expelled from the courtroom by the judge at the previous hearing for disrespecting the court.
His lawyer announced that during the next two months, Nika Melia’s trial will be held intensively, twice a week with the following schedule:
May 13, 12 p.m.
May 21, 11 a.m.;
May 25, 3:00 p.m.;
May 27, 12:00 p.m.
Pre-trial detention was ordered for Melia on February 17. He stands accused of organizing group violence during anti-government protests in June 2019 (so-called ‘Gavrilov’s Night’). UNM leader denies the charges. He was arrested on February 23.
By Ana Dumbadze
Related Story: UNM Chair Nika Melia’s Trial Postponed until April 13
