According to lawyer Giorgi Rekhviashvili, a member of “Lelo – Strong Georgia,” Aleko Elisashvili argues that he committed the act as a form of protest. Rekhviashvili made this statement to journalists after leaving the detention center in Digomi.

The lawyer added that Elisashvili only regrets “being a few seconds short of finishing what he intended.”

“I was allowed to meet Aleko Elisashvili in the Digomi isolator 10 hours after his arrest. He has severe injuries on his face and has been brutally beaten. Now I will convey Elisashvili’s position and make a statement on his behalf: he committed this act to express protest, it was one of the means. He protested against the unfair court. ‘Fire to oligarchy’ and ‘Fire to the unfair court’ — these were the words he asked me to relay. The only thing he regrets is that he was a few seconds short of completing what he planned,” the lawyer said.

According to Rekhviashvili, Elisashvili was injured by court marshals.

“This was a deliberate form of protest from his side. It is important to note that he chose Saturday and early morning hours so that no one would get injured and so that the act would serve solely as a form of protest — to show the public how many people this court convicts illegally and unfairly, and how the government uses this judiciary to strengthen its regime and dictatorship. This is Aleko Elisashvili’s statement,” Rekhviashvili said.