David Gedenidze, a member of the United National Movement (UNM) youth movement, was released from custody by a court decision. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) had accused Gedenidze of disobeying a lawful police order and committing minor hooliganism. Despite testimony from three police officers against him, Judge Koba Gedenidze dismissed the administrative case and ordered his release from the courtroom.
Gedenidze was initially detained on December 4 during a police intervention at the UNM headquarters. While several other young activists arrested on the same day were sentenced to administrative detention, Gedenidze’s case was postponed multiple times before it was ultimately dismissed.
“I thought I would be sentenced to administrative detention, as others arrested alongside me were,” said Gedenidze after the hearing. “My trial was postponed twice for various reasons. The witnesses’ testimonies were so inconsistent that the judge made the right decision and acquitted me completely. None of the allegations made by the witnesses were true.”
Meanwhile, Gedenidze’s brother, Tite Gedenidze, remains in custody. On December 14, Judge Lela Mildenberger sentenced Tite to 10 days of administrative detention under the same Articles 166 (minor hooliganism) and 173 (disobedience to police orders). He was arrested on December 12 during a protest held in Digomi near the restaurant Babilo, where a corporate party of judges was underway.
