Three judges refused to go on a study visit to US in solidarity of sanctioned judges – senior judge

Dimitri Gvritishvili, a judge member in the Georgian High Council of Justice, an independent body selecting and appointing judges across the country, on Thursday claimed three judges had refused to go to the United States on a study visit “in solidarity” with four judge sanctioned by  the US last week for alleged corruption. 

 

“To me, as a member of the Supreme Council of Justice of Georgia, it became known that the three judges participating in this visit – Nana Jokhadze, Tamar Bezhanishvili and Konstantine Kopaliani – have  refused to leave, and their statements have been officially submitted to the Council.

 

“In my opinion, this is a kind of act of solidarity”, he said. 

 

The US has imposed visa restrictions on Mikheil Chinchaladze, Levan Murusidze, Irakli Shengelia and Valerian Tsertsvadze, with the judges, their colleagues and the country’s authorities claiming the decision was “unfair” and “politically grounded”. 

 

The domestic civil sector, however, has been accusing the judges of heading a “judiciary clan” over the years.