21-year-old Georgian protester sentenced to 5 years over ‘attack’ on police officer

A Tbilisi court has sentenced 21-year-old medical student Giorgi Mindadze to five years in prison for “attacking a police officer” during a pro-European rally in the Georgian capital. The verdict, handed down by Judge Nino Galustashvili of Tbilisi City Court on Thursday, has sparked renewed controversy amid ongoing political unrest.

Mindadze was found guilty of injuring police inspector Shmagi Jachvadze with a pyrotechnic device during a demonstration in late 2024. The protests began after the ruling Georgian Dream party announced on 28 November that Georgia would not pursue EU membership negotiations until at least 2028.

During court proceedings, inspector Jachvadze testified that a piece of pyrotechnic struck and burned his leg during the protest. “The person who threw the pyrotechnics was in the courtroom, on the defendant’s bench,” he said.

However, the defence disputed the claim, arguing that the officer had no documented injuries. Forensic expert Tinatin Niniashvili, testifying as a witness, said that she observed a burn on the right thigh during an examination on 2 December. She estimated the injury to be two to four days old, potentially consistent with the timeline of the alleged incident.

Mindadze was arrested on 1 December while visiting relatives in Mtskheta with his mother. Prosecutors cited a photograph from 29 November showing him holding a pyrotechnic device and a police statement alleging he had fired it at officers.

The trial was marked by tense scenes at Tbilisi City Court. The hearing was moved from the larger Hall 15 to the smaller Hall 10, which accommodates only 25 people. The change triggered scuffles in the court lobby, where several people were forcibly removed by bailiffs.

A young woman collapsed and required medical attention. Later, activist Lado Jakhua was taken to hospital with a suspected broken nose after an altercation with court security, according to eyewitnesses.

Mindadze’s mother, Nani Tsulaia, who marked her birthday on the day of the verdict, held up a handwritten letter and drawing from her son during a break in the hearing, just before the sentence was announced.

The sentencing comes amid months of protests demanding new parliamentary elections and the release of demonstrators detained during the rallies. Human rights groups have criticised the government for what they describe as selective justice. While nearly 500 protesters have been arrested - with around 50 charged under criminal law - no law enforcement officers have been held accountable for the reported abuse of demonstrators and journalists.