11 Prisoners of Conscience Sentenced to Two Years in Prison Each
By Liza Mchedlidze
Thursday, September 4, 2025
Eleven activists detained at "Conscience" prisoners have been sentenced to two years in prison each. The decision was made on September 3 by Judge Nino Galustashvili.
The Prosecutor's Office had charged Andro Chichinadze, Onise Tskhadadze, Guram Mirtskhulava, Luka Jabua, Jano Archaia, Ruslan Sivakov, Valeri Tetrashvili, Giorgi Terishvili, Irakli Qerashvili, Revaz Kiknadze, and Sergei Kukharchuk under Article 225, Part 2 of the Criminal Code, which involves participation in group violence. This article carries a penalty of four to six years of imprisonment.
However, the judge reclassified the charges in the "Conscience" prisoners' case and convicted them under Article 226, which refers to organizing group actions that disturb public order.
A day earlier, on September 2, Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili delivered a ruling on eight other prisoners, also reclassifying the charges in that case.
The Prosecutor's Office released a statement regarding the verdict against 11 individuals who were detained on charges of participating in organized group violence. According to the statement, the investigation conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs has established that the defendants participated in group violence during the protests.
"Based on the evidence presented by the Prosecutor's Office, the court reclassified the charges of participation in group violence against the defendants to participation in group actions. The 11 individuals were found guilty. The investigation by the Ministry of Internal Affairs determined that during the protests, the defendants took part in group violence. The Prosecutor's Office had charged them under Article 225, Part 2 of the Criminal Code (participation in group violence). By the court's verdict, the charges were reclassified under Article 226 of the Criminal Code (organizing group actions that grossly violate public order or involve disobedience to lawful demands of government representatives, or actions that obstruct the functioning of transport, enterprises, institutions, or organizations, as well as active participation in such actions). The defendants were sentenced to two years in prison. The Prosecutor's Office will appeal the ruling of Tbilisi City Court to the Tbilisi Court of Appeals within the time limits prescribed by law, after receiving the court's reasoned judgment," the statement reads.
