TBILISI, June 2 – Seven people detained over the October 4 events near Georgia’s presidential palace are expected to be released from the courtroom after reaching plea agreements with prosecutors.
The case concerns one episode from the events near the Atoneli Palace, the presidential residence in central Tbilisi, Interpressnews reported. Prosecutor Lasha Tskvitaria told journalists that seven of the 12 defendants in this part of the case had admitted and repented the charges against them.
The plea deals provide for a three-year conditional sentence. Once the court approves the agreements in the coming days, the seven defendants will be released from the courtroom.
According to the prosecutor, five defendants first applied to the prosecution for plea agreements. Two more submitted applications before Tuesday’s hearing began. Tskvitaria said the prosecution agreed to the deals because the defendants admitted and repented the acts they were charged with.
“Seven of the 12 defendants at this stage admit and repent the act charged against them,” Tskvitaria said.
He said the case against the seven will now be separated procedurally and sent to another judge, who will consider approving the plea agreements. The prosecutor said this would take some time but that he did not expect the process to go beyond next week.
The seven were charged under Article 19-222 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which concerns attempted seizure or blocking of facilities of strategic or special importance, committed by a group. They were also charged under Article 225, part 2, which concerns participation in group violence.
Five defendants in the case, some of whom are charged with more serious crimes, are not currently receiving plea agreements.
Tskvitaria also said several defendants in three other criminal cases related to the October 4 events have applied for plea agreements. He said some of those requests have already been approved and that there is a reasonable expectation that more defendants in other cases will also be released soon with conditional sentences.
