Court sets 5,000 GEL bail for opposition MP Kirkitadze as politician leaves session in protest

Rustavi City Court has set bail at 5,000 GEL ($1,600/€1,400) for United National Movement (UNM) opposition party MP David Kirkitadze, who is charged with assaulting protesters in the city in October, ahead of the 2021 municipal election runoff.

The Prosecutor's Office of Georgia had requested a 10,000 GEL bail for the politician, while Kirkitadze's lawyer Alexandre Mgeladze claimed his defendant had not committed a crime.

Mgeladze argued the UNM member had acted in self-defence in the clash outside offices of the opposition party on October 24, where a group of protesters brawled with Kirkitadze and party supporters.

• Prosecutor’s office charges UNM opposition MP with violence for October clash

Kirkitadze denies his charge and left the courtroom as a sign of protest, telling the court
"I do not trust your justice, and I am not going to participate in this farce."

Kirkitadze became a member of the UNM in 2001. He was a mayoral candidate for the party in the 2021 Rustavi municipal elections, before being defeated by the ruling Georgian Dream party candidate Nino Latsabidze with 53.71 percent of votes.