A solidarity rally was held near the Government Chancellery for Lazare Grigoriadis, who was arrested for the March 7-8 protests. “European Georgia” was the organizer of the rally, while the event was attended by other groups of society in addition to the supporters of the political party.
21-year-old Lazare Grigoriadis was arrested by the police on the night of March 29. He is being accused of violence against policemen during rallies held near the parliament against the “Russian law” and of setting fire to a car belonging to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Those who attended the rally believe that the government decided to give 21-year-old Lazare a punishment in order to scare people of his generation and make them lose their desire to protest.
European parliamentarian Viola von Cramon attended the rally.
The detainee faces imprisonment from 7 to 11 years. On March 31, the court granted him pretrial detention.
The prosecutor’s office asked for the strictest preventive measure against Grigoriadis, and the defense asked for his release on 10,000 GEL bail.
According to prosecutor Grigol Nishnianidze, there was a danger of the accused hiding, influencing the witnesses and committing a new crime.
The defense side did not agree with this. As the lawyers claimed, Grigoriadis did not avoid the investigation and did not try to hide.
At the session, the accused made a brief comment and said that “this time he will use the right to remain silent and testify again”.
Giorgi Vashadze, the leader of Strategy Builder, who was in the hall, offered to stand surety to the judge as a member of the Parliament.
The decision was followed by dissatisfaction of those in the meeting hall. Attendees chanted “slaves of Russia”.
For information, according to the information of the investigation, on March 7, during the rally held on Rustaveli Avenue, the defendant thew so-called Molotov cocktail twice in the direction of the employees of the Special Tasks Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who were on duty, on April 9 Street.
Also, according to the investigation, on March 9, on Chanturia Street, the accused deliberately set fire to a “Toyota Corolla” belonging to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which burned on the spot. As a result of this action, the state budget suffered 39,500 GEL property damage.
Lazare Grigoriadis was charged with the second part of Article 353 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (harming the health of a police officer due to his official activities) and the second part of Article 187, sub-point “a” (destruction of property by setting fire), which provides for imprisonment from 7 to 11 years.
