Four Persons Fined for Petty Hooliganism in May 17 Events

Three young men and a 16-year-old boy, arrested on Sunday in connection to the May 17 violence in downtown Tbilisi, were fined by the court with GEL 100 each and released after they were found guilty of petty hooliganism.

The four persons were charged by the police with petty hooliganism and resisting police orders under the administrative code of offenses.

All four were denying charges over resisting police and three out of four admitted petty hooliganism charges, involving verbal insults.

The Tbilisi City Court said that charges over police resistance were not proven, but the four persons were found guilty of petty hooliganism and fined with GEL 100 each – the maximum sanction envisaged for this offense.

The police wanted ten-day imprisonment for two persons and a fine for two others.

During the hearing lawyers of all four persons presented medical documents showing that they all were injured in melee.

The authorities said that criminal investigation was also ongoing into the May 17 violence and pledged to bring perpetrators before the justice.

Civil Georgia