Leader of Youth Branch of the Georgian Party Detained

Interpresnews 

On May 18, police officers detained a leader of the youth branch of the Georgian Party Shota Iamanidze. He is accused of purchase-storage-usage of narcotic substances – Article 260 Part II of the Criminal Code of Georgia. The crime is punished from 7 to 14 years imprisonment. The family members said Iamanidze was arrested in Abashidze Street.

Iamanidze’s lawyer Shlava Tadumadze said his client does not plead guilty. So, the lawyer claims they will use all measures to release Iamanidze from imprisonment.

A leader of the Georgian Party Levan Gachechiladze assessed the detention of their activist as an attempt to discredit their political party. Shota Iamanidze is not only the leader of the youth branch of their party but childhood friend of Gachechiladze’s son Rati Gachechiladze.

“He grew up in front of my eyes and I am absolutely sure that he has never had any connection with narcotics; he does not smoke a cigarette either. If I am mistaken, I am ready to be arrested. The government is weak and coward and they are afraid of losing their positions; so they persecute such a brave and leader persons,” said Gachechiladze.

Gachechiladze added that Iamanidze was once arrested for the participation in the veterans’ demonstration: “They beat him and tested him on drug-addiction too. Though could not prove anything.”

Police officers detained Shota Iamanidze in Vake district of Tbilisi on May 18. Lawyer Shalva Tadumadze said the detainee is accused of the crime envisaged by Article 260 Part II of the Criminal Code of Georgia that is purchase-storage-usage of narcotic substance. The crime is punished from 7 to 14 years of imprisonment.

On May 19, the trial at the Tbilisi City Court started with incident. The court had to discuss Iamanidze’s case. The incident started after Judge Vazha Pukhashvili entered the courtroom and leader of the Civil Front Jaba Jishkariani and his supporters did not rise to greet him.

 “We don’t respect a court ruled by Saakashvili-Merabishvili’s tandem and we did not rise to greet the Judge when he entered the court room’” Jishkariani explained his behavior.

The judge requested to expel Jaba Jishkariani and his fellows from the hall, and it resulted into a noisy disagreement.

According to the procedural rules, the people in the courtroom shall rise to greet the Judge when he/she enters the hall.

Later, the judge requested Shota Iamanidze’s grandmother Nino Momtselidze to leave the courtroom too. The grandmother told the Interpresnews that she was forcibly expelled from the court hall. The judge ordered bailiffs to take her out of the courtroom because she was speaking in foul language. However, the woman alleges she was praying during the trial.

Judge Vazha Pukhashvili decided to send Shota Iamanidze to pretrial detention. Thus, he satisfied the petition of the prosecutor and did not satisfy the solicitation of the defense side who requested freedom for Iamanidze.

Lawyer Tadumadze believes the police officers had no ground to arrest Iamanidze. “There were no evidence against him in case materials which could make the detention grounded,” he said.