Four detained over 4 October case to be released in November under plea deals

Georgia’s Court of Appeals has approved plea agreements for four people detained in connection with the 4 October case, with all four due to be released from prison in November.

The decision was made by Court of Appeals judge Mzia Lomtatidze on Wednesday.

Murtaz Zodelava and Lasha Beridze are due to be released on 4 November, Irakli Chkhvirkia on 6 November, and Guri Zhvania on 16 November.

Under the original Tbilisi City Court verdict, Zodelava and Beridze were sentenced to seven years in prison each, while Chkhvirkia and Zhvania received five-year sentences each.

Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze said the events of 4 October had been an attempt to carry out a planned coup, which he claimed had been openly discussed in the months leading up to the incident.

“On 4 October, they tried to carry out the coup plan they had openly talked about beforehand, but the relevant services acted in time,” Kaladze told journalists.

He alleged that the public knew who had been behind the events, who had encouraged them and where their funding had come from. He also criticised EU representatives and members of the European Parliament for the “failure to condemn calls for a revolution.”

Kaladze added some of those detained had apologised and admitted their guilt, adding that the government’s response reflected what he called its humanitarian approach.