Friday, February 27, 2026

Bacho Akhalaia among defendants as court hears Oct 4 appeals

TBILISI, February 18 – A Tbilisi court on Wednesday continued hearings in a series of high-profile cases linked to the violent events of October 4, 2025, when an anti-government rally clashed with police near the presidential residence in downtown Tbilisi. Among the defendants whose cases are being reviewed is former Minister of Defense Bacho Akhalaia, … Read more

Kavelashvili slams “European bureaucracy” for interference

TBILISI, February 17 – Georgia’s president Mikheil Kavelashvili on Tuesday took a tough line on internal security and what he described as foreign pressure, as he delivered his annual state of the nation address to parliament. In his speech, he criticized what he called interference from “European bureaucracy,” saying that since the start of the … Read more

Tbilisi court hears conflicting testimony in ‘October 4’ trial

TBILISI, February 5 – A Tbilisi court on Thursday heard sharply contrasting accounts of the October 4 rally outside the presidential palace, as prosecutors, defense lawyers and witnesses clashed over what happened. Out of a total of 64 people facing criminal charges over events that day, today’s hearing involved ten defendants, including opposition politicians Paata … Read more

Court hears police and expert witnesses in ‘October 4’ trials

TBILISI, February 5 – Court proceedings linked to Georgia’s October 4, 2025 protests continued this week, as judges heard expert testimony and reviewed evidence in several related criminal cases involving dozens of defendants. According to Interpressnews, a total of 64 people are facing criminal charges over the events of October 4, with cases divided into … Read more

Tbilisi court keeps 13 defendants jailed over October 4 unrest

TBILISI, January 21 – A Tbilisi city court on Wednesday ruled to keep 13 people in pretrial detention over their alleged role in unrest near the Atoneli Palace on October 4. The court reviewed the preventive measures imposed on the defendants and examined video evidence during the hearing. Prosecutors asked the court to keep all … Read more

October protest organizers defend actions in Tbilisi courtroom

TBILISI, January 15 – A group of prominent Georgian opposition figures appeared in court in Tbilisi on Thursday as hearings continued into events that unfolded near the Atoneli Palace during a mass protest on October 4. The case is being heard at Tbilisi City Court and involves Paata Burchuladze, Mur­taz Zodelava, Irakli Nadiradze, Paata Manjgaladze, … Read more

Hunger strike overshadows October 4 hearing

TBILISI, January 5 – A Georgian court on Monday continued hearing a high-profile criminal case linked to events that unfolded on October 4, with 15 defendants accused of taking part in group violence and attempting to seize a site of strategic importance. The substantive trial is being held at the Tbilisi City Court, where the … Read more

Georgia court jails ex-defense minister

TBILISI, December 27 – A Georgian court on Saturday ordered pre-trial detention for former defense minister Bacho Akhalaia, in the case about the October 4 ‘revolution’. According to Georgian media reports, Tbilisi City Court granted the prosecution’s request to place Akhalaia in custody as the investigation continues. The case is being handled by Georgia’s State … Read more

Georgia court hears October 4 “storming” case

TBILISI, December 18 – Georgian prosecutors on Thursday, December 18, leaned on a long, continuous video recording as a key piece of evidence in court proceedings tied to the events of October 4 in Tbilisi. In the October 4 case, prosecutor Tamar Bezhuashvili said the state has reviewed an “approximately 8-hour continuous video” that, she … Read more

Ex-president’s ‘Russian operation’ claim rebuked by October 4 protest leader

TBILISI, November 11 – Georgia’s jailed opposition activist and opera singer Paata Burchuladze has accused former president Salome Zourabichvili of making a “shameful” statement about the October 4 events in Tbilisi, which she described as a Russian special operation. Speaking through his lawyer, Burchuladze said Zourabichvili should have exercised restraint and avoided making comments that … Read more