The trial of the defendants in the October 4 protest case: Paata Burchuladze, Murtaz Zodelava, Irakli Nadiradze, Paata Manjgaladze, Lasha Beridze, Tornike Mchedlishvili, Nika Gventsadze, Irakli Chkhvirkia, Irakli Shaishmelashvili and Guri Zhvania is underway at the Tbilisi City Court.

Witnesses of the prosecution will be questioned at today's trial. Currently, commodity expert Shalva Kintsurashvili is being questioned as a witness, who is calculating the value of the item. According to him, he inspected the fence of the presidential palace in a damaged condition. According to him, the total damage is 9,300 GEL.

“The sections of the fence were damaged, deformed, and the welding points were broken. One fence was outside, three were inside, and one was in a half- broken condition. The fence was not rusted,” Shalva Kintsurashvili said.

For information, Murtaz Zodelava, Paata Burchuladze and Irakli Nadiradze were charged under Article 19-222, Part 2, Subparagraph “a” of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to an attempt to seize and block objects of strategic and special importance committed by a group. They are also charged under Article 225, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to the organization and leadership of group violence. They are also charged under Article 317 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to a call to change the constitutional order of Georgia by force and to overthrow the state government, which is punishable by up to 9 years of imprisonment.

Irakli Shaishmelashvili is charged under Article 317 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to a public call to change the constitutional order of Georgia by force or to overthrow the state government, which is punishable by up to 3 years of imprisonment.

Lasha Beridze is charged under Article 19-222, Part 2, Subparagraph “a” of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which pertains to an attempt to seize and block objects of strategic and special importance, committed by a group. He is also charged under Part 1 of Article 225 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which involves organizing and leading group violence.

Irakli Chkhvirkia, Nika Gventsadze, and Tornike Mchedlishvili are charged under Subparagraph “a” of Part 2 of Article 19-222 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which involves an attempt to seize and block strategic and special importance objects, committed by a group. He is also charged under Part 1 of Article 225 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which involves organizing and leading group violence. The aforementioned act is punishable by 6 to 9 years of imprisonment.

Guri Zhvania is charged under Part 2 of Article 225 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which pertains to participation in group violence.

Paata Manjgaladze is charged under Part 1 of Article 225 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which pertains to organization of group violence. The aforementioned act is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 6 to 9 years.