A verdict has been passed in the case of participants in pro-European protests in Georgia. The Tbilisi City Court sentenced 11 defendants to two years in prison.
The defendants were initially charged with organized group violence (Article 225, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of Georgia), which carries a sentence of 4 to 6 years in prison. However, the judge reclassified the charge to Article 226 - "participation in group actions that violate public order." Despite the more lenient qualification, each of the defendants was sentenced to two years in prison. The judge did not explain the reasons for this decision, immediately announcing the operative part.
The defendants in the case included a 21-year-old psychology student, a 30-year-old plastic surgeon, a 34-year-old historian, a 28-year-old stand-up comedian, a 29-year-old actor, etc. All of them were detained during protests with pro-European slogans.
