The lawyers of the eight individuals detained during the protests on charges of organizing, leading, and participating in group violence have addressed Judge Irakli Khuskivadze, requesting that the court proceedings be moved to an appropriate courtroom. They also clarified that they are not refusing to defend the accused.

In their statement, the lawyers highlighted the reasons for their decision to leave the courtroom in protest during the ongoing trial. They stated that they are seeking proper working and humane conditions from the court.

"Mr. Irakli, your court is handling the criminal case under Article 225 involving Zviad Tsetskhladze, Tornike Goshadze, Nikoloz Javakhishvili, Giorgi Giorgadze, Insaf Aliyev, Vepkhia Kasradze, Irakli Miminoshvili, and Vasil Kadzelashvili. We represent the interests of the accused, whose preventive measure review hearing was ongoing when inadequate conditions were observed in the courtroom for both the defendants and their lawyers. Despite this, our motion to transfer the hearing to an appropriate courtroom was denied. As a result, one of the defendants fell ill, and medical assistance became necessary. The court ignored all these circumstances, forcing the defendants and their lawyers to leave the courtroom in protest before all the lawyers' positions were heard.

As you know, we, the lawyers chosen by the defendants, remain committed to defending their rights. We ask for the opportunity to properly exercise the right to defense, which will allow us to fulfill our duties. We are not refusing to defend our clients. We request the creation of proper working and humane conditions. We ask that the hearing be moved to an appropriate courtroom," the statement reads.

For context, the individuals detained on charges of organizing and participating in group violence, along with their lawyers, left the courtroom in protest.

This decision followed multiple motions filed in court to change the courtroom, all of which were denied by the judge.

Additionally, three of the detainees—Zviad Tsetskhladze, Vepkhia Kasradze, and Vasil Kadzelashvili—are accused of organizing and leading group violence and face 6 to 9 years of imprisonment. Five others—Giorgi Gorgadze, Irakli Miminoshvili, Insaf Aliyev, Tornike Goshadze, and Nikoloz Javakhishvili—are charged with participating in group violence and face 4 to 6 years of imprisonment.