Zurab Japaridze: The heavy police presence near the court clearly indicates they are planning something – I don’t rule out imprisonment

A large number of police officers have been mobilized outside Tbilisi City Court, where the pretrial hearing of Zurab “Girchi” Japaridze, a member of the “Coalition for Change”, is scheduled to take place in a few hours.

Both entrances of the court are guarded by court security personnel and police forces. Vehicles are not being allowed into the court premises, which are entirely occupied by police cars.

This level of mobilization, according to Japaridze, is clear evidence that his arrest is being planned.

A rally in support of Japaridze has been announced for 2:00 PM outside the court. Supporters are unlikely to be allowed into the court’s courtyard.

“The situation confirms my expectations – such a heavy police presence clearly indicates that they are planning something. They don’t have many options, they’ve cornered themselves. Either they must completely drop the preventive measure, which we’ve requested at least three times and were denied each time, or they’ll go for a harsher measure – and that harsher measure is imprisonment, just like what happened with Irakli Okruashvili.

We summoned [Minister of Justice] Tsulukiani several times, but our request never even reached her – it was blocked at the court level. It’s hard to make an exact prediction, but I do not rule out that they may go for pretrial detention. And not just mine or Okruashvili’s – ultimately, they might go after me, Irakli Okruashvili, Nika Melia, Nika Gvaramia, Mamuka Khazaradze, Badri Japaridze, and Giorgi Vashadze. Whether they are ready for that stage of authoritarianism, time will tell,” said Japaridze.