Political unrest in Georgia escalated on Wednesday as eleven anti-government protesters were sentenced to two years in prison in a mass trial widely criticized as politically motivated.
The verdict, delivered by Judge Nino Galustashvili in Tbilisi City Court, targets individuals arrested during the protests that erupted in late 2024. Demonstrations began on November 28 after the ruling Georgian Dream party abruptly suspended the country’s bid for European Union membership. Since then, hundreds have been detained and more than 50 criminal cases initiated.
On Wednesday evening, just hours after the sentencing, several thousand protesters filled the streets of central Tbilisi. Marching toward the parliament building, they demanded the release of the convicted and denounced what they see as an authoritarian crackdown on dissent.
The eleven defendants had originally been charged with group violence, which carries a prison term of up to six years. Prosecutors later reduced the charges to organizing or participating in actions that violated public order—mirroring a decision made one day earlier in the trial of eight other protesters.
The trial outcomes triggered a wave of condemnation from rights groups, opposition figures, and family members of the convicted. Many gathered outside the courtroom holding signs and photos, some in tears. Critics argue the legal process was orchestrated to punish dissent and deter further protests.
Marina Terishvili, whose son Giorgi was among those sentenced, recalled losing another son during anti-government protests in the 1990s. Speaking to OC Media, she said: “I raised two sons who loved this country enough to fight for it,” she said. “The authorities will never know what that means.”
Defense lawyers argued the prosecution failed to establish any coordinated action among the defendants, most of whom had never met before their arrests. The state’s case relied on video footage of the protests, police testimony alleging injuries, and documents linking the group to previously sentenced organizers. However, no officer directly identified any of the defendants as perpetrators of assault or damage.
Journalists and court observers, including from RFE/RL, described the evidence as largely circumstantial. Several police statements included nearly identical language, and many cited “poor visibility” during the protest. “The videos show people throwing objects—but they don’t prove who was hit, or even if anyone was,” one defense attorney said.
Multiple defendants reported mistreatment while in custody. Rezo Kiknadze testified that officers threatened him with rape and torture unless he named opposition figures. Onise Tskhadadze and others described beatings during and after their arrests.
These allegations were not addressed during the trial, and there has been no public indication of an investigation into police conduct.
The latest convictions are part of a wider pattern of repression following Georgia’s abrupt shift away from the EU. Civil society organizations and media outlets have reported increasing pressure, and several journalists covering the trials say they’ve faced threats and surveillance.
Western governments and international rights organizations have expressed concern over what they describe as Georgia’s democratic backsliding. Calls for the release of political prisoners and for independent investigations into police abuse have been growing louder—but concrete action remains limited.
In their closing remarks, many of the convicted spoke emotionally, condemning the trial and asserting their innocence.
“You are not defending justice—you are enforcing political decisions,” said Onise Tskhadadze. “If executions were legal, this court would gladly carry them out.”
Valeri Tetrashvili addressed the court defiantly: “You call us criminals, but it is you who are destroying this country’s future. I hope one day you’ll be held accountable.”
Andro Chichinadze struck a different tone: “I forgive you. But I ask only this—don’t take on cases that force you to imprison people who love their country.”
By Team GT
