TBILISI, August 6 – A Georgian doctor accused of serious drug offenses was acquitted on Wednesday in a case widely described by opposition figures and rights groups as politically motivated.
Giorgi Akhobadze was arrested last December after attending an opposition protest in central Tbilisi and later charged with illegal possession of a large quantity of narcotics, a charge that carries a sentence of 8 to 20 years or even life imprisonment.
Authorities insisted the arrest was based solely on evidence unrelated to his political activity, but opposition groups and non-governmental organizations argued the case was part of a regime crackdown on dissent.
Akhobadze’s legal team succeeded in casting doubt on prosecution evidence, arguing the drugs were likely planted, and noted procedural irregularities including a lack of credible evidence and contested search records.
The Tbilisi City Court ruled that the evidence presented was insufficient to support the charge, and Judge Romeo Tkeshelashvili declared Akhobadze not guilty. He was immediately released from the courtroom.
The case had received widespread media coverage, and Akhobadze thanked journalists and supporters after the verdict, saying he was overwhelmed by the level of solidarity.
