“I am referred to as the ‘Batumi flag-bearer,’ but in reality I am from Sukhumi. I deeply cherish the people of Batumi. I have started my life from scratch twice, and everyone stood by me. None of us are criminals. Spare honest people who have committed no crime - we simply found ourselves in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Zurab Chavchanidze, one of the defendants charged in connection with the events of October 4.

According to Chavchanidze, neither he nor the others arrested alongside him committed any crime.

“They call me the Batumi flag-bearer, but I am actually from Sukhumi. I have rebuilt my life from nothing twice, and people always helped me. For me, every one of us is a child of this homeland. The souls of my fallen comrades would not allow me to stand aside.

For seven months I have been trying to organize my thoughts and decide what to say. There is no explanation on earth for how I remained alive. Since that day, my only concern has been kindness, love, and respect for the law. The only thing I truly possess is my honest name.

I do not know whether I should say this, but one night I had what felt like a vision. What does Russian rule mean for us? Nearly a million Georgians were killed. Their dream is a ‘Georgia without Georgians.’ No generation has grown up in Georgia without having to fight for freedom.

It says here on the banner: ‘God is love.’ Love one another - evil is defeated by love.

If in the past the enemy came to conquer us, now it comes to erase us. There is a Georgian saying: ‘The peacemaker gets hit the hardest.’ Well, here I am. I have said before in court that I died in Sukhumi; now I am a living corpse.

People say that words are easy, but I do not think anyone would call me a criminal. For seven months I have been trying to put my thoughts in order, and now I am so nervous that I barely know what to say.

When you look at us here, understand that every one of us sitting here is a patriot of our homeland. None of us are criminals. Spare honest people who have committed no crime. We simply ended up in the wrong place.

All I want is kindness and love - for everyone. Five escort vehicles came to pick me up in Batumi. On the way I told one of the officers I was hungry; he stopped and bought me a shawarma, while buying cigarettes for himself. That officer cared for me - how can I say he is somehow different from me?

Forgive me, everyone, but I submitted a request for a plea agreement. Freedom has turned out to be the most valuable thing in my life. My wife cannot even come to see me. I have never seen tears in her eyes. The last time we spoke, I did not even know what was happening. What can I do? I am an honest man. The only thing left in me is the desire for goodness for everyone. Our boys also died so that we could live together in a united Georgia,” Chavchanidze stated.

Despite his statement regarding a plea agreement, Chavchanidze and seven other defendants were found guilty by the court and sentenced to five years in prison each. The judge explained that the plea bargaining stage had already passed and that those who wished to enter into plea agreements had already done so.

For reference, in connection with the October 4 events, defendants Zurab Chavchanidze, Vladimer Gvelesiani, Amiran Dolishvili, Anton Vardanidze, Aleksandre Chilachava, Genadi Kupreishvili, Sulkhan Tughushi, and Ramaz Mamuladze were charged under Articles 19-222(2)(a) and 225(2) of Georgia’s Criminal Code, relating to the attempted seizure of a strategic or specially important facility by a group and participation in group violence.

In total, 64 individuals were criminally prosecuted in relation to the October 4 events. At this stage, the Prosecutor’s Office has agreed to plea bargains with 22 defendants.