Luka Kurtanidze, as Irakli Garibashvili enters the courtroom: "Long live the man of the nation!"
The arrival of former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili at the court hearing was met with shouts from friends and associates present in the courtroom.
"Long live the man of the nation!" Luka Kurtanidze called out to Garibashvili as he entered the courtroom; the judge issued a reprimand to Kurtanidze and called for order.
Furthermore, former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili stated that he does not plead guilty to the charges brought against him. He made this statement during the hearing in response to a question from the judge.
"Do you plead guilty to the charges brought against you?" the judge asked, to which Garibashvili replied in the negative, saying, "No."
Additionally, Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili asked former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili another question: "Do you have a full command of the Georgian language?" Garibashvili responded that he tries. The judge issued a reprimand to Garibashvili for this response. "I appreciate a good joke, but let’s keep the proceedings within the proper framework," the judge remarked to Gharibashvili.
For context, the hearing in the case of former Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili—who stands accused of corruption-related offenses—has begun at the Tbilisi City Court on the merits. The first session is currently underway, with Irakli Gharibashvili himself in attendance for the first time.
Present in the courtroom are members of the former Prime Minister’s family, including his child, his wife—Nunuka Tamazashvili—his brother-in-law, Aleksandre Tamazashvili, and his uncle, Zura Gonashvili. Former Minister of Justice Rati Bregadze is also in attendance. He is the only high-ranking official from the Georgian Dream party to appear at Irakli Garibashvili’s trial.
For context, the Prosecutor's Office charged Irakli Gharibashvili under Article 338, Part 2, Subparagraphs "a" and "c," and Part 3, Subparagraph "e" of the Criminal Code of Georgia. These provisions pertain to the acceptance of a bribe—in an especially large amount and committed as part of a group—by an individual holding a state-political office; the offense carries a penalty of 11 to 15 years of imprisonment. Irakli Gharibashvili has been convicted of legalizing illicit income of an especially large amount. Under a plea agreement, he was sentenced to 5 years of imprisonment and ordered to pay a fine of 1 million GEL.
