Former Defence Minister Akhalaia walks out of court in protest after hearing closed to public

Former Defence Minister of Georgia Bacho Akhalaia left the courtroom in protest on Saturday after the judge granted the prosecution’s motion to close the hearing.

Akhalaia announced he would no longer attend the proceedings following the decision.

Prior to his departure, the court ordered Akhalaia’s wife, Ani Nadareishvili, to leave the courtroom.

Addressing the judge before exiting, Akhalaia questioned the rationale behind closing a case that, according to him, had not yet begun. He said the decision deprived the public of the opportunity to hear the arguments of both sides and to understand who may or may not be guilty.

Akhalaia also objected to the removal of his wife from the courtroom, questioning her legal status and stating that she was not a defendant in the case. He alleged that he had been threatened following his detention, claiming that he was pressured to testify against friends and warned that his wife would be arrested and his minor child left without parental care if he refused. Akhalaia described the alleged threats as “terrorism” and compared the situation to practices from the Stalin-era period.

The hearing was closed at the request of the prosecution. No further details were provided by the court regarding the specific grounds for the decision.

Akhalaia was arrested on December 25 in connection with the October 4 protest rally.