Hunger Strike Dominates October 4 Hearing in Georgia

A Georgian court continued hearings on Monday in a high-profile criminal case related to events on October 4, with 15 defendants charged with participating in group violence and attempting to seize a strategically important site.

The substantive trial is being held at the Tbilisi City Court, where the defendants, including Zurab Chavchanidze and Vladimer Gvelesiani, appeared remotely from penitentiary facilities, The Caspian Post reports, citing foreign media.

According to the court, the defendants could not be physically transported to the courtroom because the hearing fell on a public holiday.

If the proceedings continue as scheduled, prosecutors are expected to begin presenting and examining evidence against the accused. The case is being heard by Judge Romeo Tkeshelashvili.

One of the defendants, Zurab Chavchanidze, has drawn attention during the trial due to his health condition. Chavchanidze has been on a hunger strike since November 21. Before the hearing began, he told his lawyer that he felt unwell on Sunday.

The charges stem from incidents linked to October 4, when authorities say a group attempted to take control of an object classified as having strategic and special importance and engaged in group violence. Prosecutors have charged Vladimer Gvelesiani, Sergo Megrelishvili, Zurab Chavchanidze, Giorgi Rurua, Amiran Dolishvili, Anton Vardanidze, Giorgi Korkia, Aleksandre Chilachava, Genadi Kupreishvili, Lasha Ivanadze, Levan Jikia, Sulkhan Tughushi, Khvicha Gogokhia and Ramaz Mamuladze.

All are charged under Article 19-222, Part Two, Subparagraph “a” of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which covers an attempted seizure of a strategic or particularly important facility committed by a group, as well as under Article 225, Part Two, which relates to participation in group violence.