gela khvedelidze

Gela Khvedelidze plans to appeal the one year suspended jail sentence. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Tbilisi City Court has found a former Georgian official guilty and given him a one year suspended sentence.

Gela Khvedelidze was found guilty of having published a video of a private nature by posting it on the Internet one year ago, while he was deputy to then Interior Minister Irakli Gharibashvili, who is now prime minister.

Khvedelidze was detained and released on USD 3,000 bail. He was removed from his position and charged with violation of the Criminal Code for violating private or family secret.

The Prosecutor’s Office plans to appeal Tbilisi City Court’s decision in the Appeals Court and claims that one year suspended sentence is not enough punishment for such a violation.

The office claims Khvedelidze admitted guilt at the last hearing, but the court and his defense lawyer cannot confirm this as the hearings were closed to the public.

Defense lawyer Emzar Paksadze also plans to appeal the court’s decision in the Appeals Court.