Georgian doctor acquitted of drug charges after arrest at pro-European protest

A Tbilisi court has acquitted Dr Giorgi Akhobadze, who was arrested in December 2024 during a pro-European demonstration, of all drug-related charges. Judge Romeo Tkeshelashvili ruled that the evidence presented by the prosecution was insufficient to support the allegations.

Akhobadze, a vocal supporter of Georgia’s pro-European movement, was released immediately following the court’s decision. He was greeted with cheers and chants of "Victory until the end!" by supporters gathered outside the courthouse.

The doctor had been detained on 7 December while returning home from a protest on Rustaveli Avenue in central Tbilisi, shortly after the Georgian Dream government announced a halt in the country’s EU integration until 2028. Prosecutors had accused him of illegal possession of narcotics - a charge that carried a potential sentence of eight to twenty years, or even life imprisonment.

Throughout the proceedings, Akhobadze maintained his innocence, claiming the drugs were planted. “This case is the revenge of a cowardly, frightened regime against me,” he said in his closing statement on 25 July. “They couldn’t silence me with threats or smear campaigns, so they turned to the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ signature tactic: planting evidence.”

His lawyers repeatedly argued that the case lacked any neutral or independent evidence, such as video footage, to substantiate the charges.

Following his release, Akhobadze thanked the media for covering his trial and reiterated his commitment to continuing the struggle for justice.