“We have been unlawfully imprisoned for three months for loving our country, because Mr. Kobakhidze is afraid of us,” David Ghurtskaia, detained in the October 4 case, wrote in a letter from prison.

Ghurtskaia stated that the prosecutors are telling the detainees that if they admit to the alleged crime, a plea agreement might be considered.

“Hello, my Georgia and fellow Georgians, the New Year has already passed. But there was no New Year in my family. My child did not even have a Christmas tree. While the honorable court gives Christmas gifts to the members of Georgian Dream detained on corruption charges and releases them one after another, the prosecutor tells us that if we confess, they might consider a plea deal. What should I confess? Throwing flowers at a special forces officer? As a sign of peace?

We have been unlawfully imprisoned for three months for loving our country, because Mr. Kobakhidze is afraid of us. Yes, this is our current situation. We are in prison, our families are suffering, and the country is waiting for unity. Hopefully, in the future, we will all meet in Sokhumi with flowers in our hands for the New Year. Glory to God, glory to Georgia, glory to the souls of Merab Kostava and Zviad Gamsakhurdia,” Ghurtskaia wrote in the letter.

For context, those detained in connection with the October 4 events - Gocha Katashvili, Sulkhan Abralava, Konstantine Kokaia, David Zhghenti, Kakhaber Mzhavanadze, Alexander Gogoladze, David Sturua, Eva Shashiashvili, Zakro Albutashvili, Genadi Kelikhashvili, Dato Ghurtskaia, Ramaz Jorbenadze, Jandri Tirkia, Giorgi Chakhunashvili, and Ia Darakhvelidze - have been charged under Article 19-222, part 2, subparagraph “a” of the Criminal Code of Georgia (attempt to seize or block strategically important facilities, committed as a group). They are also charged under Article 225, part 2 (participation in group violence). Ia Darakhvelidze, Giorgi Chakhunashvili, and Eva Shashiashvili are currently free on bail.