Papuashvili: defendants' admissions support government's account of unrest

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has said that admissions made by a group of defendants regarding their involvement in violent acts support the government's position on events that led to criminal prosecutions.

Speaking to journalists, Papuashvili said it was significant that ten defendants had acknowledged their actions and expressed remorse.

According to the parliament speaker, the individuals admitted that their objective had been to seize the presidential palace, a claim he said confirmed the seriousness of the events under investigation.

"It is important that the perpetrators have acknowledged their crime and expressed regret for committing violence against their own country," Papuashvili said. "It is also important that ten individuals have admitted that their goal was to take control of the presidential palace."

Papuashvili argued that the admissions would help counter what he described as speculation and attempts to misrepresent the events.

He called on others involved in similar cases to follow the same approach, noting that the government had previously stated that expressions of remorse would be taken into account when determining its response.

According to Papuashvili, such considerations could affect decisions made during investigations or in relation to possible pardons, depending on the severity of the offence.

The parliament speaker also claimed that those involved had been encouraged to commit crimes by both domestic and external actors, including “radical opposition groups and political voices from Brussels.”

He alleged that these individuals had been persuaded to engage in actions that ultimately led to criminal prosecution and imprisonment.

Papuashvili urged others facing similar charges to cooperate with state institutions and draw lessons from the admissions made by the defendants.