Tbilisi’s ex- Mayor remains in pre-trail detention

The Tbilisi Court of Appeal has rejected an appeal from Tbilisi’s former Mayor Gigi Ugulava about his pre-trial detention.

In Court today the judges said Ugulaval’s appeal was "inadmissible” as there were no well-founded arguments that showed the previous verdict was unfair.

Tbilisi City Court ordered Ugulava’s pre-trial detention on July 4. Ugulava’s defence lawyers challenged this decision and took to a higher court however the judge did not approve the appeal, which surprised Ugulava’s team.

"Such a decision was unexpected for us,” defence lawyer, Gizo Uglava said.

Political party United National Movement (UNM), which Ugulava is affiliated, condemned the decision and said it was "a step backwards for the Georgian state”.

Last Friday Tbilisi City Court imposed pre-trial detention on the former Mayor for organising group violence and coercion in Marneuli district during the June 15 local elections, which violated public order. Ugulava is also facing charges of illegally accumulating money for his political party.

He was arrested early Thursday morning while boarding a flight to Kiev, Ukraine.