“Do not harm your health,” — with these words Judge Valerian Bugianishvili addressed Zurab Chavchanidze, who was detained in connection with the events of October 4 near the Atoneli Palace, after learning that he had begun a hunger strike.

Before that, the judge established his identity, including what he had been doing prior to his arrest.

“I am from Sokhumi, but I live in Batumi,” Chavchanidze said, after which the judge urged him not to damage his health by going on hunger strike, noting that he could fully defend his rights together with his lawyer.

“I have been informed that you have taken an extreme step and declared a full hunger strike. My advice to you, as a judge, is that you must remain healthy in order to be able to provide complete and accurate information here. Please do not harm your health — this is the advice I want to give you,” Bugianishvili said.

The defendant asked the judge to give him time to address the public with what he wanted to say, to which the judge responded that he would give everyone time to speak.

For reference, Vladimir Gvelesiani, Zurab Chavchanidze, Sergo Megrelishvili, Giorgi Rurua, Amiran Dolishvili, Anton Vardanidze, Giorgi Korkia, Aleksandre Chilachava, Genadi Kupreishvili, Lasha Ivanadze, Levan Jikia, Sulkhan Tugushi, Khvicha Gogokhia, and Ramaz Mumladze have been charged under Article 19-222, Part 2, Sub-paragraph “a” of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns the attempted takeover and blockade of strategic and critically important facilities, committed as a group. They have also been charged under Article 225, Part 2, which pertains to participation in group violence.