The prosecution has entirely refused to present any substantial charges, essentially shifting the burden onto us. We are the ones who must prove whether or not the evidence was obtained illegally," said Zviad Tsetskhladze, one of the defendants accused of organizing and leading group violence during the protests, during his court hearing.
Tsetskhladze stated that his imprisonment has undermined the value of his legal education.
"The prosecution completely refused to provide evidence. The burden of proof was placed entirely on the defendants. The defendants had to prove that they were not guilty, while the prosecution’s stance made no difference in terms of what was or wasn’t presented. In this case, I see a clear parallel—the prosecution completely abandoned the presentation of any substantial charges and instead shifted the burden onto us. We have to prove whether the evidence was obtained unlawfully or even what the evidence pertains to in the first place.
This is not a debate between equals; this is a defensive position where we are forced to prove that the evidence is irrelevant.
It is deeply unfortunate that the judicial system is setting such precedents in cases of this nature. It also creates a dangerous precedent on the part of the prosecution, putting defense attorneys in an extremely difficult position—forcing them to justify that absurdity is, in fact, absurd!" said Tsetskhladze.
During the recent protests, police arrested eight individuals on charges of organizing group violence.
Three of them—Zviad Tsetskhladze, Vepkhia Kasradze, and Vasil Kadzelashvili—are accused of organizing and leading group violence, facing 6 to 9 years in prison.
The other five—Giorgi Gorgadze, Irakli Miminoshvili, Insaf Aliyev, Tornike Goshadze, and Nikoloz Javakhishvili—are charged with participating in group violence, with potential sentences ranging from 4 to 6 years in prison.
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