Four Chiatura miners sentenced to prison by Kutaisi city court

A judge at Kutaisi City Court has sentenced four detained miners to prison terms following their conviction over an assault case.

Under the ruling by judge Tamar Mazanashvili, Merab Saralidze and Giorgi Neparidze were each sentenced to six years and three months in prison, while Tengiz Gvelesiani and Archil Chumburidze were each given four years and three months.

The miners from Chiatura - Merab Saralidze, Giorgi Neparidze, Temo Gvelesiani and Achiko Chumburidze - were arrested on 28 April 2025. Investigators said the defendants physically assaulted the director of the Shukruti mine, causing injuries to multiple parts of his body.

The investigation initially began under Article 118, Part Two of the criminal code, which relates to the intentional infliction of less serious bodily harm committed by a group.

At a later stage, charges against Saralidze and Neparidze were upgraded under Article 225 of the criminal code, which covers organising and participating in group violence and carries a possible sentence of between six and nine years in prison.