EU Ambassador to Georgia: Aleko Elisashvili verdict falls under court’s authority

Pawel Herczynski, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Saturday said that the verdict against Aleko Elisashvili, one of the leaders of the opposition Strong Georgia - Lelo, was the prerogative of the Georgian judicial system and he was not authorised to comment on it, while emphasising that freedom of assembly and speech were fundamental principles that must be respected by EU candidate countries.

Speaking to the media, Herczynski responded to questions regarding the court’s decision sentencing Elisashvili to 13 years in prison for attempting to commit a terrorist act.

“Regarding the verdict, this is the prerogative of the judicial system, and I am not authorised to comment on this issue”, he said.

He highlighted that the European Union is built on principles, with freedom of assembly and freedom of speech being among the most important.

“The only thing I can tell you is that the European Union is built on principles. The most important principles are freedom of assembly and freedom of speech. These are the fundamental principles that unite all EU member states, and these principles must also be respected by all states that wish to join the European Union”, Herczynski concluded.

Aleko Elisashvili, one of the leaders of the opposition Strong Georgia - Lelo, on Friday was found guilty by the court on charges of attempting to commit a terrorist act. Judge Giorgi Gelashvili sentenced him to 13 years in prison.

The case concerns an incident that took place in the administrative building of the Tbilisi City Court, where employees of the Court Enforcement Service stopped Elisashvili’s actions, after which he was detained by law enforcement officers at the scene.

Elisashvili was charged under Article 19-323(1) of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to an attempt to commit a terrorist act. The offence carries a sentence of 10 to 15 years of imprisonment.