“I have been waiting for an elastic bandage for a week and a half — I am telling you this so you know what is happening there. I’ve also been waiting for analgesics for a week, Mr. Prosecutor. I truly don’t understand what I did wrong,” said Vladimer Gvelesiani, detained in connection with the October 4 events near the Atoneli Palace, during a court hearing.

He emphasized that he is not guilty.

“Thank you for allowing me to be who I am and defend my country. I have been waiting a week and a half for an elastic bandage — I tell you this so you understand what is happening there. I’ve also been waiting for analgesics for a week, Mr. Prosecutor. I truly don’t understand what I did wrong.

I met these people for the first time today — thank God I did. They accuse us of group violence. Violence is when you hit someone or throw something at them. There is not a single instance proving that I did anything like that — where does this claim of group violence come from?

Does the prosecution have a motto that anyone accused of group violence must go to prison? Whether you imprison me for one year or two, it makes no difference. Where should I hide? I will not hide — I will not even cover my head. My people, fight for your homeland — may God give you strength, both spiritually and physically. Now I have more time in the cell to reflect, and I will tell my children to hold their heads high and not bow — I am not sitting here for anything shameful, I am sitting here for my homeland, not for “Georgia” as a political slogan.

Mr. Prosecutor, look me in the eyes — did I commit group violence? What connection do I have with these people or with violence? Is there some miraculous evidence? Show us what you have. Which witnesses am I supposed to influence, who am I supposed to intimidate? If an ordinary citizen like me intimidates police officers, the Ministry of Internal Affairs would be completely overwhelmed. I have a family — two children and my mother, who relied on me — and I apologize to her again. We are not guilty,” Gvelesiani said.

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