Zakro Albutashvili, detained in connection with the October 4 events - I am going on a hunger strike - the authorities offered me two options: to confess to something I did not commit or to die in prison, I choose death
This authorities offered me two options: to confess to something I did not commit or the second, to die in prison. I choose death. From this moment on, I am going on a hunger strike until the newest hero of our time, the innocent political prisoner Elene Khoshtaria, is released from prison, - Zakro Albutashvili, detained in connection with the October 4 events, stated.
He made his final statement in court and noted that he refuses to accept a plea bargain, since he cannot be blamed for something he did not commit. Albutashvili is going on a hunger strike as a sign of solidarity with Elene Khoshtaria, the leader of Droa.
“I am addressing only men. Our women have already reached their peak. I, Zakro Albutashvili, a builder by profession, a soldier, a former football player, etc., with health problems, one kidney removed, problems with the other....
This government offered me two options: to confess to something I did not commit, or the second, death in prison. I choose death, I do not have a watch, from this moment I begin my hunger strike until the newest hero of our time, the innocent political prisoner Elene Khoshtaria, is released from prison. The stopwatch is on.
I do not want a plea agreement... I have no regrets, you will not like fake regrets either. I will die in prison because of these people," Albutashvili said.
The aforementioned episode had a total of 15 defendants, however, 8 pleaded guilty and a plea agreement was signed with them.
Dr. Giorgi Chakhunashvili, Ia Darakhvelidze, Davit Zhgenti, Konstantine Kokaia, Kakhaber Mzhavanadze, Zakro Albutashvili, and Davit Sturua, did not plead guilty. Accordingly, they did not sign a plea agreement.
As for Eva Shanshiashvili, Aleksandre Gogoladze, Gocha Katashvili, Sulkhan Abralava, Ramaz Jorbenadze, Jandri Tirkia, Genadi Kelikhashvili and Dato Ghutskaya, their plea agreements were signed last week.
For information, all of them, who were detained in connection with the events that took place on October 4, have been charged under Article 19-222, Part 2, Subparagraph “a” of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to an attempt to seize and block strategic and special importance objects committed by a group. They have also been charged under Article 225, Part 2, of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to participation in group violence.
