Court Did Not Satisfy Solicitation of the Defense Side – Vano Merabishvili Is Still Imprisoned

Shorena Kakabadze, Imereti 

Kutaisi City Court held next trial on the former Prime-Minister Vano Merabishvili on September 25. The court did not satisfy the solicitation of Merabishvili’s defense side to drop criminal prosecution against him.

The judge did not consider the main argument of the lawyer Giorgi Chiviashvili, who alleged that non-authoritative prosecutor had imposed prosecution on Merabishvili.

At the trial, judge upheld the solicitation of the prosecutor – they held substantial hearing of the case and witnesses were questioned.

Vano Merabishvili’s request to reduce the list of 4000 witness was not satisfied at this trial like at the previous one (September 19). “Unless you reduce it, it will take more than one year to question all of them and this process will become eternal,” the former PM said.

Defense side and members of the National Movement claim there is no ground to keep Merabishvili in prison and allege that Judge Teimuraz Dgvareli is under oppression.

Based on the aforementioned circumstances, the defense side is preparing application for the Strasbourg Court.