Nika Melia remains in detention

Nika Melia, Chairman of the United National Movement, remains in custody. Tbilisi City Court Judge Nino Chakhnashvili announced the respective decision a few minutes ago.

At today's trial, the measure of restraint imposed on Melia – pre-trial detention - was reviewed and he remained in force. Defendant Melia was present at the hearing and used his right to deliver a speech at the trial several times.

The prosecution requested the use of detention as a measure of restraint, noting that the only measure that could serve the purposes of the measure of restraint was detention and that it should remain in force.

The defense demanded that Melia be left without a measure of restraint.

The pre-trial detention was ordered for Nika Melia on February 17. He is charged with organizing group violence in the June 20 case under Article 225, Parts 1 and 2 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. On June 27, 2019, 30,000 GEL bail was ordered for him by the Tbilisi City Court as a measure of restraint, which he refused to pay, after which he was arrested as a result of a special operation conducted at the National Movement headquarters on February 23.

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