Burchuladze: October 4 was one of most important days of my life, not a crime

Opposition figure Paata Burchuladze told a court hearing that the October 4 events, when part of the opposition had announced a peaceful overthrow of the government, were among the most significant moments of his life and insisted that he was being prosecuted for his political activity rather than any criminal wrongdoing.

Addressing the court, Burchuladze rejected charges of participating in group violence and attempting to seize strategic or specially important facilities, saying the case was intended to discredit the October 4 national assembly and portray it as a violent act. He argued that investigators were deliberately shifting attention to damage to a presidential palace fence that, according to him, had been cut in advance.

Burchuladze denied accusations of inciting violence, stating that no video or other evidence existed to support such claims. He also dismissed allegations of attempting to overthrow the government, emphasizing that he consistently advocated for peaceful political change. According to him, at least 250,000 people expressed opposition to the authorities on October 4, which he described as a legitimate expression of public will.

Responding to claims of attempting to seize strategic facilities, Burchuladze said that if hundreds of thousands of people had intended to take over a building, they would have been able to do so, stressing that no such attempt occurred.

He further claimed that more than 60 people were detained over the fence incident in order to divert public attention from the political significance of the gathering, describing those detained as political prisoners. Burchuladze also alleged that senior government officials had publicly acknowledged that a “surprise” had been prepared at the site, a statement he said was available on video.

“I am proud to be the initiator of the October 4 national assembly. I had the constitutional right to do so,” Burchuladze told the court, accusing prosecutors of pursuing politically motivated charges and warning against the use of false testimony.

Burchuladze, along with several other opposition figures, has been charged with participating in group violence and attempting to seize strategic or specially important facilities as part of a group.