The Tbilisi Court of Appeal has upheld the two-year prison sentences imposed on actors Andro Chichinadze, Onise Tskhadadze and nine others, leaving the original verdict unchanged.
The decision was delivered by Judge Tea Leonidze, who rejected appeals from both the prosecution and the defense. While the prosecution sought to have the defendants convicted of participating in organized group violence, the defense argued for their full acquittal.
Based on the ruling, all 11 defendants were acquitted of the charge of participation in group violence. However, as in the first-instance decision, they were found guilty of taking part in a group action that disrupted public order.
The convicted individuals — Andro Chichinadze, Onise Tskhadadze, Jano Archaia, Ruslan Sivakov, Luka Jabua, Guram Mirtskhulava, Valeri Tetrashvili, Giorgi Terishvili, Irakli Kerashvili, Revaz Kiknadze and Sergey Kukharchuk — had originally been charged under Part 2 of Article 225 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which envisages 4 to 6 years of imprisonment for participation in organized group violence. However, the Tbilisi City Court reclassified the charges under Article 226, which pertains to active participation in a group action that violated public order.
Judge Nino Galustashvili of the Tbilisi City Court sentenced each of the defendants to two years in prison. That decision has now been upheld in full by the Court of Appeal.
The convicts are expected to complete their remaining sentences in approximately eight months in a penitentiary institution.
At today’s hearing, three of the defendants — Andro Chichinadze, Onise Tskhadadze and Valeri Tetrashvili — exercised their right to a final statement before the court.
