The Tbilisi Court of Appeals is expected to announce its verdict on April 17 in the case of convicted individuals, including actor Andro Chichinadze, Onise Tskhadadze, and nine others.

The hearing is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. On that day, the defendants will exercise their right to deliver final statements, after which Judge Tea Leonidze will retire to deliberate and deliver the verdict.

At today’s hearing, some of the defense lawyers delivered their closing arguments.

For context, the Tbilisi City Court previously acquitted 11 defendants - including Andro Chichinadze, Onise Tskhadadze, Jano Archaya, Ruslan Sivakov, Luka Jabua, Guram Mirtskhulava, Valeri Tetrashvili, Giorgi Terishvili, Irakli Kerashvili, Revaz Kiknadze, and Sergei Kukharchuk - of participating in organized group violence. However, the court reclassified the charges and found them guilty of participation in group actions. Judge Nino Galustashvili sentenced each of them to two years in prison.

The 11 detainees had originally been charged under Article 225, Part 2 of the Criminal Code, which concerns participation in organized group violence and carries a sentence of 4 to 6 years’ imprisonment. Judge Galustashvili reclassified the charges under Article 226, which refers to active participation in group actions that disrupt public order.