Paata Manjgaladze: Bail does not free a person from the criminal prosecution initiated by the regime – don’t rush, don’t be so quick to sacrifice someone or cross them out when you don’t even know them or their plans

Bail does not release a person from the criminal prosecution initiated by the regime – don’t rush, don’t be quick to sacrifice or dismiss someone when you don’t even know them or their plans.

This is how Paata Manjgaladze, one of the leaders of Strategy Aghmashenebeli, responded to Giorgi Vashadze’s decision to pay a bail of 50,000 GEL.

According to him, the regime’s goal is to swiftly isolate and disconnect specific leaders from the ongoing process.

“To those eager to see Giorgi Vashadze arrested by the regime:

First – bail is a preventive measure to show that a person does not intend to flee or hide.

Second – it does not free the person from the criminal prosecution initiated by the regime. The process continues, and I’m sure you won’t have to wait long to see it unfold.

Third – the regime’s goal is to quickly isolate specific leaders and remove them from the process. Just think: how can you have the same goals and intentions as the regime?

Fourth – having principles also means doing what you believe is right, not swaying like a reed depending on what others say.

And fifth – don’t rush, don’t be so quick to sacrifice someone or write them off when you don’t even know them or their plans.”

For context: On April 23, Giorgi Vashadze was issued a preventive measure of 50,000 GEL bail for failing to appear before a temporary investigative commission. The court gave him 30 days to pay it.

Vashadze had been summoned to the Georgian Parliament’s temporary investigative commission on April 15, but he didn’t show up. He was later summoned by the Prosecutor’s Office to give testimony.

He has been charged under Article 349 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to “failure to comply with a request of the temporary investigative commission of the Parliament of Georgia.” The offense is punishable by a fine or up to one year in prison, and/or deprivation of the right to hold office or engage in certain activities for up to three years.