Plead Guilty and Accept Bail

Tariel Putkaradze - one of the eight detained people for the blockade of Adjara TV-Company and resistance to police officers, had its preventive measure changed. Neither state prosecutor nor his lawyer Gia Shainidze makes comments on the fact.

Shainidze is a former investigator. He took up Putkaradze’s case later. In addition, Tariel Putkaradze is the only detainee, who pleads guilty. Lawyers of other detainees think the state prosecutor will sign plea-agreement with him.

Irakli Shavadze, the lawyer: “On July 1 we were waiting for Tariel Putkaradze for about one hour at the trial. In fact, since he was late for the trial, the preventive measure – bail was to be changed into imprisonment. Video-recordings do not prove any illegal actions of Putkaradze during the protest demonstration in front of the Adjara TV-Company or any illegal statements made by him. However, apparently, he pleaded guilty and blamed others too. Now, it is up to the prosecutor’s office to make decision – if they want they can change the preventive measure. The court is not independent to make similar decisions.”

It is noteworthy that Judge Tamar Bezhanishvili did not satisfy the solicitation of a disabled person Vakhtang Sioridze to change preventive measures against him. At the preparatory court hearing in the Batumi City Court on July 1, Sioridze regretted his presence near the Adjara TV-Company on May 21 and petitioned to the judge for pardoning. Sioridze has sick wife and two underage children.

The lawyers said the rights of the detainees were breached during detention – the detention protocol was fabricated because the time and place in the document does not coincide the actual time and place of detention. Due to those mistakes, part of lawyers requested to change prosecutors and the judge involved in the case but none of their requests were satisfied by the chair judge Bezhanishvili.

Vakhtang Sioridze, Tariel Putkaradze, Davit Partenadze, Dimitry Cheishvili, Khvicha Gamarjobadze, Gocha Mukhashavria, Anzor Solomonadze and Tsotne Ananidze were accused of the blockade of the Adjara TV-Company on May 21 and of resistance to police officers. Cheishvili and Solomonidze enjoy their right to silence. Gocha Mukhashavria does not plead guilty. The detainees face imprisonment from 6 to 11 years due to principle of aggregated sentence. The main witnesses in the case are journalists and cameramen of the Adjara TV-Company.

The next trial is scheduled on July 13.

Maka Malakmadze, Adjara