The pretrial hearing for eight politicians charged in the so-called sabotage case - Mikheil Saakashvili, Nika Melia, Nika Gvaramia, Zurab “Girchi” Japaridze, Giorgi Vashadze, Badri Japaridze, Mamuka Khazaradze, and Elene Khoshtaria - is currently underway at Tbilisi City Court.

Today’s session focuses on the admissibility of evidence and will also determine whether the case will proceed to substantive examination in court.

Attendance: Nika Melia, Elene Khoshtaria, and Mamuka Khazaradze are absent. Representatives of the U.S. and German embassies are present at the session.

For reference, in the so-called sabotage case, the Office of the Prosecutor General has charged Mikheil Saakashvili, Giorgi Vashadze, Nika Gvaramia, Nika Melia, Zurab Japaridze, Elene Khoshtaria, Mamuka Khazaradze, and Badri Japaridze.

Specific charges:

• Giorgi Vashadze and Zurab Japaridze: Charged under Articles 318(1) and 319 of the Criminal Code, covering sabotage and assistance in hostile activities for a foreign state. Penalties range from 7 to 15 years of imprisonment.

• Elene Khoshtaria: Charged under Articles 318(1), 319, and 321 prima(1), covering sabotage, provision of material resources for the crime, and assistance in hostile activities for a foreign state.

• Nika Gvaramia, Nika Melia, Mamuka Khazaradze, and Badri Japaridze: Charged under Article 318(1), which covers sabotage.

• Mikheil Saakashvili: Charged under Article 317, covering incitement to overthrow the constitutional order or state authority by force.

Pretrial measures:

• Giorgi Vashadze and Zurab Japaridze have been assigned 30,000 GEL bail.

• Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze have been assigned 1,000,000 GEL bail.