Imprisonment Arrest Imposed as a Compulsory Measure against Sopiko Nikolashvili

Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti

The head of Gurjaani Regional Court Davit Narimanashvili satisfied the request of Office of Prosecutor and passed the imprisonment sentence as a compulsory measure against the detained journalist Sopiko Nikolashvili.

Sopiko Nikolashvili stated at the trial that she does not acknowledge the imposed charge. Her lawyers Maguli Ghvaladze and Mamuka Nozadze requested to impose bail of 10 000 GEL if the compulsory measure was necessary. The judge did not render their request.

According to the judge, Sopiko Nikolashvili is accused of committing especially grave offence and using lighter compulsory measure than the imprisonment sentence might hinder the investigation.

“The court decision is not objective. Just the fact that she is charged with the especially grave offence cannot be grounds for using imprisonment as a compulsory measure. Sopiko Nikolashvili is 20 years old, she has a house, has parents. Though Sopiko does not acknowledge the charge and we requested not to impose the compulsory measure against her, we still offered 10 000 GEL and think that this request is legitimate and the judge should have satisfied it,” – the defendant’s lawyer Maguli Ghvaladze stated.

According to another lawyer of the defendant Mamuka Nozadze, the decision of regional court has already been appealed to Tbilisi Appellate Court. “We do not hope that the Appellate Court will change anything, but we need to go through the procedures to bring the case to Strasbourg Court which we will definitely do,” – Mamuka Nozadze noted.

According to him, there is a testimony of Sopiko Nikolashvili in the case where she states that she wanted to kill Giorgi Sibashvili. “This testimony has been obtained by violating the law. The girl was interrogated without the lawyer despite her request. Judge did not consider this factor,” – the lawyer stated.

Father of the defendant Davit Nikolashvili stated after the end of the trial that this was a trap designed against him and Sopiko was victim of it.

Sopiko Nikolashvili is accused of attempt of deliberate murder against the police official Giorgi Sibashvili and illegal carrying of weapon. The accused was transferred to Rustavi colony. The pre-trial session is scheduled for March 9th of 2012 for 13:00 pm.

23-year-old Giorgi Sibashvili is inspector-investigator of Main Regional Agency of Kakheti of Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA). His father Gocha Sibashvili is a deputy head of Gurjaani police, uncle – Giorgi Sibashvili is a deputy Governor of Kakheti.

Father of the defendant is a supporter of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s public movement Georgian Dream. Earlier he has been a head of Gurjaani organization of Georgian Party.