Former head of the Press Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Guram Donadze, who is currently in penitentiary establishment No 9, has released a statement about the verdict delivered against him.

"On December 18, 2018, Tbilisi City Court Judge Davit Mgeliashvili delivered another illegal and unjustified verdict in his personal interests. Mgeliashvili put his personal interests above the law and fulfilled a political order without assessing any evidence. By doing so, he guaranteed a lifetime term of office. As for criminal Zaza Bakradze, he obtained freedom based on the false testimony according to the preliminary deal with the Prosecutor's Office and turned absolutely innocent people – a journalist and former senior police officers - into political prisoners," reads the statement.