The Levan Samkharauli National Forensics Bureau stated that it cannot conduct the forensic examination requested by the defense in the case of opposition politician Aleko Elisashvili.
He is accused of attempting to commit a terrorist act outside the Tbilisi City Court building.
Defense lawyers asked the experts to answer the following question: could a fire resulting from spilling two bottles of gasoline on office furniture inside the Tbilisi City Court building lead to the consequences attributed to Aleko Elisashvili—namely, a fire capable of damaging or destroying the court building, disrupting its operations, and indicating an attempted terrorist attack?
The Samkharauli Bureau noted that the defense’s question was based on a hypothetical scenario, since no fire had occurred and there were no materials to examine, making it impossible to determine whether a fire following a gasoline spill could have destroyed the Tbilisi City Court building and posed a threat.
Defense attorney Archil Chopikashvili stated that the experts’ conclusion confirms the impossibility of proving the prosecution’s version of an attempted terrorist attack.
He stated that this conclusion was presented in court and accepted by the prosecution as indisputable. The lawyer believes that the prosecution’s case is built on assumptions rather than evidence.
The politician’s father, Valery Elisashvili, who testified in court as a witness, called his son’s prosecution a political reprisal.
He noted that the attempted terrorism charge is linked to Elisashvili’s conflict with government officials, specifically an incident involving parliamentary majority leader Mamuka Mdinaradze, as well as the politician’s participation in the war in Ukraine.
The opposition figure’s father stated that the investigation was initially conducted under the article on property damage, but the charge was later reclassified to a more serious one.
As a reminder, opposition politician Aleko Elisashvili is accused of attempting to commit a terrorist act. According to investigators, in November 2025, he spilled gasoline inside the Tbilisi City Court building, which, the prosecution claims, created a fire hazard and could have led to severe consequences. Elisashvili and his defense reject the charges, claiming the case is politically motivated. If found guilty, he faces 10 to 15 years in prison.