Four more defendants were given multi-year jail sentences, while twelve individuals secured shorter prison terms through plea agreements, and one more was fined, as court ruled on June 24 in two separate proceedings related to the October 4 election-day unrest.
The rulings bring the total number of those who received full prison sentences in the series of October 4 trials to 28, including three sentenced in absentia. Another 12 received reduced prison terms through plea agreements, while 22 avoided prison altogether through suspended sentences under plea deals. One additional defendant was fined.
In one June 24 verdict, announced by Tbilisi City Court Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili, activist Nana Sander was sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of “organizing group violence,” protester Abo Naveriani was sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of “participating in group violence” and “attempted seizure of a facility of strategic or special importance,” while Anton Uperi was sentenced in absentia to five years in jail on the charges as Naveriani.
Mariam Mekantsishvili, an activist and prominent figure in ongoing anti-government protests that erupted in November 2024, who was charged with “organizing group activity disrupting public order,” was fined GEL 5,000 (USD 1,900).
None of the four defendants in the case pleaded guilty, thus ruling out possibility of reduced/suspended sentence through plea agreements.
A separate ruling was delivered earlier in the day by Tbilisi City Court judge Tamar Makharoblidze in the case of thirteen defendants, all of them charged with participation in group violence, while three of them – Manuchar Mikeladze, Giorgi Kirvalidze, and Beka Machavariani – additionally charged with attempted seizure of strategic facilities.
One defendant, Manuchar Mikeladze, who did not plead guilty, was sentenced to five years in jail. The remaining twelve defendants in the same proceedings pleaded guilty and secured smaller prison terms through plea agreements.
Eleven of them – Kakhaber Kvachantiradze, Simon Samkharadze, Gia Toloraia, Avtandil Topchishvili, Mikheil Toloraia, Iuri Lomidze, Giorgi Talakhadze, Davit Giunashvili, Giorgi Kirvalidze, Koba Epitashvili, and Beka Machavariani – were given one year prison sentences in addition to three years of suspended sentence each, meaning that they are expected to leave prison in about four months after the ruling. Another defendant – Saba Kordzaia – will serve 1.5 years in jail after being convicted in a separate criminal case, plus three years of suspended sentence.
Unrest erupted on October 4, 2025, the day of the partially boycotted municipal elections, after a group of protesters, following a call from organizers of a “peaceful revolution” rally, attempted to occupy the presidential palace in downtown Tbilisi and were repelled by police. Up to 60 people, including rally organizers, were subsequently charged in connection with the events, with most placed in pretrial detention. Georgian Dream officials have described the events as a foreign-orchestrated coup attempt.
Courts have already delivered rulings in the cases of most of the defendants, 63 in total. The first prison sentences against ten people, including rally organizers, were handed down in May, seven others were sentenced to five-year prison terms on June 19, eight more were sentenced to five years each on June 22, while three more were sentenced to 5-7 years in jail and one was fined in June 24 rulings.
As for the plea agreements, first group of eight people received suspended sentences on June 9, and 14 more secured the same deals sparing them jail on June 10. Twelve others got their prison terms reduced through plea bargains in a June 24 ruling.
Defendants who were given full prison sentences:
- Paata Burchuladze – 7 years’ prison sentence
- Murtaz Zodelava – 7 years’ prison sentence
- Irakli Nadiradze – 7 years’ prison sentence
- Lasha Beridze – 7 years’ prison sentence
- Paata Manjgaladze – 7 years’ prison sentence
- Irakli Chkhvirkia – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Nika Gventsadze – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Tornike Mchedlishvili – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Guri Zhvania – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Giorgi Chakhunashvili – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Davit Zhghenti – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Konstantine Kokaia – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Kakhaber Mzhavanadze – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Zakro Albutashvili – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Davit Sturua – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Zurab Chavchanidze – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Amiran Dolishvili – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Vladimer Gvelesiani – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Aleksandre Chilachava – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Genadi Kupreishvili – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Sulkhan Tughushi – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Ramaz Mamuladze – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Anton Vardanidze – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Abo Naveriani – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Nana Sanderi – 7 years’ prison sentence
Defendants sentenced to prison in absentia:
- Irakli Shaishmelashvili – 2 years’ prison sentence
- Ia Darakhvelidze – 5 years’ prison sentence
- Anton Uperi – 5 years’ prison sentence
Partial prison sentences through plea deals:
- Kakhaber Kvachantiradze – 1 year prison sentence and 3 years suspended sentence
- Simon Samkharadze – 1 year prison sentence and 3 years suspended sentence
- Gia Toloraia – 1 year prison sentence and 3 years suspended sentence
- Avtandil Topchishvili – 1 year prison sentence and 3 years suspended sentence
- Mikheil Toloraia – 1 year prison sentence and 3 years suspended sentence
- Iuri Lomidze – 1 year prison sentence and 3 years suspended sentence
- Giorgi Talakhadze – 1 year prison sentence and 3 years suspended sentence
- Davit Giunashvili – 1 year prison sentence and 3 years suspended sentence
- Giorgi Kirvalidze – 1 year prison sentence and 3 years suspended sentence
- Koba Epitashvili – 1 year prison sentence and 3 years suspended sentence
- Beka Machavariani – 1 year prison sentence and 3 years suspended sentence
- Saba Kordzaia – 3 years suspended sentence in addition to 1.5 years prison sentence handed down in another criminal case and
Fully suspended sentences through plea deals:
- Eva Shashiashvili – had been released on bail, given 3 years suspended sentence
- Aleksandre Gogoladze – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Gocha Katashvili – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Sulkhan Abralava – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Ramaz Jorbenadze – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Jandri Tirkia – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Genadi Kelikhashvili – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Davit Ghurtskaia – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Aleksandre Khabeishvili – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Beka Kelekhsashvili – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Giorgi Muladze – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Mamuka Labuchidze – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Guriel Kardava – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Temur Kurtsikidze – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Vakhtang Pitskhelauri – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Avtandil Surmanidze – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Sergo Megrelishvili – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Giorgi Rurua – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Giorgi Korkia – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Lasha Ivanadze – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Levan Jikia – released with 3 years suspended sentence
- Khvicha Gogokhia – released with 3 years suspended sentence
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