Tbilisi City Court has upheld the pre-trial detention imposed in absentia as a preventive measure on former Prime Minister and leader of the Gakharia for Georgia party, Giorgi Gakharia, in the June 20 case.

The decision was made by Judge Nato Khujadze.

The judge heard the parties’ motions to admit evidence. The prosecutor’s office requested that the public statements made by Bidzina Ivanishvili, Irakli Kobakhidze, Mamuka Mdinaradze, Vakhtang Gomelauri, and Tea Tsulukiani about June 20 before Giorgi Gakharia’s resignation be declared inadmissible evidence. By the judge’s decision, the defense’s evidence was not included in the case.

As for the evidence presented by the prosecution, by the judge’s decision, it was fully included in the case.

For information, Giorgi Gakharia has been charged with the June 20 case under Articles 25, 117, Part 3, Subparagraph “m” and Article 333, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which involves intentional harm to health of more than two persons and abuse of official authority by a person holding a state political position. The aforementioned act is punishable by up to 13 years of imprisonment.