4/5128-25
May 4, 2025
Gorgasali Square, near restaurant "Machakhela", Tbilisi
Court File: 330510025011613040
Charges & Outcome
Disobedience to lawful order
Verbal insult of law enforcement
Summary
Timeline
2025-05-04 · 09:50
Incident at Gorgasali Square
2025-05-04
Detention, personal property confiscation
2025-05-07 · 10:58
MIA Information-Analytical Department record
2025-06-12
Protocol compiled (38 days later!)
2025-06-12 · 13:55
Case randomly assigned to Judge Enukidze
2025-06-12 · 17:15
First hearing — identity verification, postponed
2025-06-18 · 12:07
Main hearing — witness examination, closing arguments
2025-07-03 · 17:05
Verdict announced (police did not appear)
Case Participants
Represented MIA at first hearing (June 12)
Protocol author + MIA representative at main hearing (June 18)
Testimony
“Officers and Kurulashvili stood in a safe place during the conversation and did not step onto the roadway. Kurulashvili called officers 'slaves of Russia' and 'Russian militia'.”
Testimony
“Kurulashvili stood outside the parking zone, on the roadway. He called officers 'slaves of Russians' and 'Russian police'. He was aggressive.”
Also signs the protocol as witness — conflict of interest
Arguments
'Fire on the oligarchy' falls within freedom of expression, no insult occurred, no lawful order is specified, no video evidence exists, witness testimonies contradict each other.
Contradictions in Testimony
Location — whether defendant was on the roadway
“Officers and Kurulashvili stood in a safe place and did not step onto the roadway.”
დადგენილება, გვ. 3, პუნქტი 5.1
“During communication with officers, Giorgi Kurulashvili stood outside the parking zone, on the roadway.”
დადგენილება, გვ. 4, პუნქტი 5.2
Court Ruling
The court found both witness testimonies credible and, based on the totality of evidence, confirmed the violation under Article 173, Part 2.
Analysis
This contradiction is critical because the Part I charge (disobedience) was predicated on the claim that Kurulashvili was standing on the roadway refusing to leave. Mkrtchiani denied this — and the court dismissed Part I. But Kanashvili confirmed it — yet the court still found both testimonies credible.
Procedural Issues
38-day delay in protocol compilation
Incident on May 4, protocol on June 12 — 38-day delay
Kanashvili's dual role
Protocol signatory and court witness simultaneously — conflict of interest
Absence of video evidence
Gorgasali Square is a tourist area with CCTV but no video evidence was submitted
8 × 5,000 GEL Art.174 fines
8 fines of 5,000 GEL each in March-April 2025 (total 40,000 GEL) — likely protest-related
Confiscated Property
- •3 საბანკო ბარათი (IB03357876, IB04232321, IB03447439)
- •მართვის მოწმობა AH3985666
- •NOKIA ტელეფონი IMEI 355766108198801
- •SEIKO საათი სერია 116178
- •ნაღდი ფული: 11 ლარი, 1 იუანი, 50,000 უზბეკური სუმი, მონეტები
- •3 გასაღები, Nissan №DO4443
- •სხვა პირადი ნივთები
Victims
Giorgi Kurulashvili