Judges’ conference underway amid protest in Tbilisi

A special conference of judges is taking place at the High School of Justice in Dighomi, Tbilisi, on Saturday, as protesters gathered outside to denounce recent court decisions "against pro-European activists." Family members and supporters of the detained activists stood at the school’s entrance, chanting “slaves” at the judges as they arrived.

The 34th extraordinary conference is being attended by several judges who had imposed pretrial detention on activists arrested during recent demonstrations. Protesters said their presence was meant to call out what they view as politically motivated rulings.

“I hear the word ‘slave’ on television every day... I’ll hear it again now, but it doesn’t bother me at all,” one judge said before entering the building.

The conference drew further criticism after it emerged that parts of the media were not informed about the event. No announcement was posted on the official platforms of the High Council of Justice, the body responsible for organizing such gatherings.

According to documents obtained by Radio Liberty, the primary agenda item was the election of new members to the High Council of Justice — an institution that plays a critical role in Georgia’s judiciary. Under Georgian law, the Council appoints and dismisses judges for city and appellate courts, nominates Supreme Court judges, and submits candidates for parliamentary approval.

Elene Khoshtaria, one of the leaders of the Coalition for Change, who is present outside the High School of Justice, stated that judges should be afraid because they are "serving the Russian regime and committing injustice."

“It’s right that they are afraid — they should be. They should fear every minute, every day, because beyond serving the Russian regime, they are personally criminals who are carrying out injustice. They will have to constantly hear the voice of truth, the voice of those individuals, of those families and their children,” Khoshtaria said.