Plea agreement expected to be concluded today with Murtaz Zodelava, Lasha Beridze, Guri Zhvania, and Irakli Chkhvirkvia
A plea agreement is expected to be finalized today, October 13, for the individuals convicted in the "October 4 case": Murtaz Zodelava, Lasha Beridze, Guri Zhvania, and Irakli Chkhvirkvia.
It is at the hearing scheduled for 5:00 PM at the Tbilisi Court of Appeals that it will be revealed whether the Prosecutor's Office is concluding a plea agreement with these convicts and under what terms.
If an agreement is reached between the state prosecution and the convicts, their case will be separated from that of the other convicted individuals, and the court will approve the agreed-upon terms.
InterPressNews learned of certain details last week; specifically, according to the agency, the discussion concerns a plea agreement for Murtaz Zodelava and Lasha Beridze involving an actual prison sentence of one year and one month.
If the final agreement is approved under these terms, the convicts will be released from the penitentiary institution on November 4.
According to the verdict of the Tbilisi City Court, the following prison sentences were handed down: Lasha Beridze – 7 years; Murtaz Zodelava – 7 years; Paata Burchuladze – 7 years; Irakli Nadiradze – 7 years; Paata Manjgaladze – 7 years; Guri Zhvania – 5 years; Nika Gventsadze – 5 years; Irakli Chkhvirkia – 5 years; and Irakli Shaishmelashvili – 2 years. Murtaz Zodelava, Paata Burchuladze, and Irakli Nadiradze were charged under Article 19-222, Part 2, Subparagraph "a" of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which pertains to the attempted seizure and blockade of facilities of strategic and special importance, committed by a group. They were also charged under Article 225, Part 1 of the Criminal Code, involving the organization and leadership of group violence. Furthermore, they faced charges under Article 317 of the Criminal Code for incitement to violently alter Georgia's constitutional order and overthrow the state government—an offense punishable by up to nine years of imprisonment. Irakli Shaishmelashvili was charged under Article 317 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which covers public calls for the violent alteration of Georgia's constitutional order or the overthrow of state authority—an offense punishable by up to three years of imprisonment. Lasha Beridze was charged under Article 19-222, Part 2, Subparagraph "a" of the Criminal Code of Georgia, involving the attempted seizure and blockade of facilities of strategic and special importance, committed as part of a group. He was also charged under Article 225, Part 1 of the Criminal Code, which pertains to the organization and leadership of group violence.
Irakli Chkhvirkia, Nika Gventsadze, and Tornike Mchedlishvili were charged under Article 19-222, Part 2, Subparagraph "a" of the Criminal Code of Georgia, involving the attempted seizure and blockade of facilities of strategic and special importance, committed as part of a group. He was also charged under Article 225, Part 1 of the Criminal Code, which entails organizing and leading group violence.
This offense carries a penalty of six to nine years of imprisonment. Guri Zhvania was charged under Article 225, Part 2 of the Criminal Code, which entails participation in group violence.
Paata Manjgaladze was charged under Article 225, Part 1 of the Criminal Code, which entails organizing group violence. This offense carries a penalty of six to nine years of imprisonment.
