Man released on bail after confessing to crime at June rally in Tbilisi
17 civilians and three police officers have been charged so far in the June 20 rally case. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Mukhran Pangani, who was detained and charged with violence during the June 20 rally in central Tbilisi, has been released on 2,000 GEL [$669] bail after confessing to the crime.
The prosecution accepted the bail “as threats to the possible influence on witnesses has decreased after the confession.”
The Tbilisi protests, which were sparked by the presence of Russian MPs in the Georgian parliament earlier on June 20, turned into a violent clash between protesters and police in front of the parliament of Georgia.
17 civilians and three police officers have been charged so far regarding the June 20 rally, including former Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili and opposition MP Nika Melia, the Georgian Young Lawyers Association says.
The NGO reports that 67 law-enforcers and four protestors have been recognised as victims.
The Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into police actions during the rally dispersal.
Then Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia [now the prime minister of Georgia] said in a recent TV interview that the rally became “violent” starting at 10 p.m. following “a systematic and organised” attack on the parliament building on June 20.
Gakharia also said that he gave the order for the rally to be dispersed after some of the demonstrators decided to storm the parliament building.
The dispersal left 240 injured and 305 detained.
Levan Jikuri, who was charged with violence committed by a group at the June 20 rally in Tbilisi, has been released on 2,000 GEL [$672] bail after admitting to his presence at the demonstration and using a shield against police.
Tbilisi City Court has left former Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili in pretrial detention, declining the offer of his lawyer on the payment of 500,000 GEL ($168,000) for bail.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze says that the “destructive and irresponsible” calls and appeals by the opposition transformed “a peaceful and justified” rally in Tbilisi into unrest on June 20 and the opposition members carry responsibility for that, commenting on recent charges against United National Movement MP Nika Melia.
A member of the United National Movement parliamentary opposition, MP Nika Melia has been charged with organising violence by a group, heading the group and participation in the violence during the June 20-21 rallies in Tbilisi, the Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office says.
Tbilisi City Court has refused to grant victim status to 16 individuals, including eight journalists, who received injuries during the June 20 rally dispersal in central Tbilisi. The court says that currently there is no sufficient evidence to grant victim status to these individuals.