The lawyer of Aleko Elisashvili, one of the leaders of Lelo – Strong Georgia, stated before the court session that Elisashvili’s goal was not to commit a terrorist act. If he had intended to do so, he had a firearm and could have stopped three court marshals, but to avoid harming them, he abandoned the intent.

"His objective was not to carry out a terrorist act. If that had been his intention, he had the weapon he legally possessed and could have stopped the three marshals, who were unarmed. For the safety of the citizens and the marshals, he refrained from committing the crime," said lawyer Giorgi Rekhviashvili.

He added that the defense requested the court to impose a 5,000 GEL bail as a preventive measure, but they do not expect the court to accept this and anticipate that Elisashvili will remain in custody.

"I signed a confidentiality agreement because Aleko Elisashvili is accused of attempted terrorism, a serious charge, and the investigative authorities are concerned that information could be leaked, which might interfere with the investigation process. Regarding the video footage, I cannot confirm that the person shown is Aleko Elisashvili; it shows someone outside the perimeter, and I do not know the route he took to the court building. Even for individuals inside the building, I cannot confirm that it is Aleko Elisashvili. After reviewing the footage, Aleko himself must state whether he is the person in the recordings."

Rekhviashvili emphasized that Elisashvili does not agree with the charge of a terrorist act. He chose the time - Saturday morning at 4:00 a.m. - to minimize risks to citizens and marshals. His priority was safety, and therefore he refrained from committing the act.

For context, the trial of Aleko Elisashvili continues at the Tbilisi City Court, where preventive measures against him are being discussed. The prosecution seeks the strictest measure - pre-trial detention, while the defense requests his release on 5,000 GEL bail.

Elisashvili is charged under Article 19-323(1) of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns attempted terrorist acts, punishable by 10 to 15 years of imprisonment.

According to the investigation, on November 29, around 4:00 a.m., a masked Aleko Elisashvili, armed with a firearm, combat materials, and items necessary for carrying out a terrorist act, arrived at the Tbilisi City Court building. He broke the glass of the external facade of the court chancellery with a hammer and entered the interior space.

The prosecution reported that he poured a large amount of flammable substance on items and documents and attempted to start a fire. The investigation also states that the politician attacked and beat one of the court marshals.