Defense Side Mistrusts Court Judgment

Lado Bitchashvili, Shida Kartli

Judge at the Gori District Court Valeriane Pilishvili considered the case of Gocha Avlokhashvili, who was arrested on June 17 in Muskhelishvili street for the disobedience to patrol police officers during the so-called “police raid.” At the court hearing police officers declared that Avlokhashvili verbally assaulted them and disobeyed; consequently he was arrested. Avlokhashvili blames the police officers in the abuse of their power. As his lawyer said the patrol police officers tried to tense the situation and during the detention of Avlokhashvili they used excessive power. At the trial police officer Giorgi Kapanadze confirmed that they had used electric shock and explained it with the extraordinary necessity.

At the trial, police officer presented the videos recorded by his service camera, though it did not show the entire incident. Patrol officer Giorgi Kapanadze said in accordance to the law they are not obliged to shoot whole incidents. Afterwards, the defense side solicited to withdraw video-recordings made by the camera on the police car; in response to that police officer Giorgi Kapanadze said the camera could not record the incident due to the location of the car. The judge cancelled the solicitation because he said it did not have any connection with the case. The defense lawyer protested the decision of the judge and requested to replace him; the judge Pilisvili did not satisfy the lawyer’s request.

Lawyer Zaza Gigauri spoke why Gocha Avlokhashvili was in the street during the incident–police officers were searching underage young boys near his house. As the lawyer claimed there was noise and Avlokhashvili went out in the street; he asked police officers why they were searching the boys and threatening them with arrest. Afterwards, as Gigauri said, the law enforcement officers provoked his client – they did not let him go home though he wanted, then called additional police crew. As Gigauri said, after the new crew arrived, the police officers physically abused several citizens participating in the incident.

In reply to his statement, patrol officer Giorgi Kapanadze said that before Avlokhashvili decided to go home, he verbally insulted police officers and that’s why they did not allow him go home.

“Gocha Avlokhashvili is found guilty under Article 173 of the Administrative Code of Georgia and is ordered to pay administrative fine of 1000 GEL,” the judge Valeriane Pilishvili of the Gori District Court issued this judgment after two-day hearing. The defense side intends to appeal the judgment at the Appeal Court.

“Judge Valeriane Pilishvili of Gori district court passed illegal judgment. Avlokhashvili is fined for having left home when his son was threatened with arrest. Today, not a single citizen is protected in Gori,” the defense lawyer Zaza Gigauri said.

Lawyer of Shida Kartli office of Human Rights Center Aleksi Merebashvili believes the police officers abused their power during the incident in Muskhelishvili street.

“Human Rights Center is monitoring ongoing court hearings into this case. It is noteworthy that police officers used excessive force when arresting the person. Namely, they used special tools which were not proportionate to concrete procedural action,” Merebashvili said.