Pridon Bubuteishvili

Apprehended

Tortured

Violence

Prisoner

P. Bubuteishvili

Pridon
Bubuteishvili

In Tbilisi, during May 2024 protests against the "Russian Law," 20-year-old Fridon Bubuteishvili was arrested.

Accused of throwing stones at emergency services personnel and damaging property, Bubuteishvili faced severe charges: damage to property causing significant harm, and assaulting a representative of authority. The state prosecution claimed he injured a firefighter with a stone, a claim Bubuteishvili denied.

Judge Zviad Shavadze presided over Bubuteishvili’s case in the Tbilisi City Court. Despite his defense lawyer's plea for a 3,000 GEL bail, the judge ordered Bubuteishvili to remain in custody. This decision was made even though the defense argued that the evidence presented by the prosecution was insufficient. Specifically his lawyer Lasha Tkesheladze stated that “The position of the prosecution is that if this person's hand was bruised, then it turns out that this person deserves up to 7 years in prison. There is no evidence in this case.”

Later in court, Bubuteishvili made a s claim: he alleged he acted on the orders of political figure Giorgi Vashadze. He stated Vashadze instructed him to throw stones, promising to ensure his release if apprehended. Vashadze, through his press service, denied knowing Bubuteishvili. This accusation came after Bubuteishvili had been held in pre-trial detention for several months.

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„აგენტების კანონის“ საპროტესტო აქციის მონაწილეს, 20 წლის ფრიდონ ბუბუტეიშვილს 5-წლიანი პატიმრობა მიესაჯა

The prosecutor's office refused to agree to a plea deal for Bubuteishvili, insisting on pursuing the charges. Despite Bubuteishvili's claims and the apparent inconsistencies in the case, the court found him guilty and sentenced him accordingly. Bubuteishvili's lawyer requested recusal from the case, leading to the assignment of a public defender for Bubuteishvili.

Bubuteishvili was ultimately sentenced to 5 years in prison on January 20th. The legal proceedings revealed concerns about due process. Bubuteishvili's lawyer cited a lack of concrete evidence, and the severity of the charges seemed disproportionate to the alleged offense. The judge's decision to maintain custody, despite the defense's arguments, raised questions about the impartiality of the court. Furthermore, Bubuteishvili's later claim of acting under orders, and the timing of this claim, raised the question of if such a statement was made by order.

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