Convicted Aleko Elisashvili, one of the leaders of the Strong Georgia – Lelo coalition, has been officially charged in a fourth criminal case. As his lawyer, Giorgi Rekhviashvili, told the online news agency Interpressnews after leaving Rustavi Penitentiary Establishment No. 5, the charge stems from the phrase “not a man,” which Elisashvili used to describe police officer Shota Chipashvili.
“This concerns Part 1 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code, which provides for liability for contempt of court expressed in insulting a participant in legal proceedings. In this case, according to the prosecution, Elisashvili insulted the police officer appearing as a witness in the case by calling him ‘not a man.’
This is the very officer who inflicted severe injuries on Aleko Elisashvili, specifically by tightening the handcuffs too tightly and keeping them on for several hours. Elisashvili was bleeding, denied water, and verbally abused by the police officer. Upon seeing him in the courtroom, Aleko called him ‘not a man’ and asked him a number of questions. However, according to the prosecution, this exact phrase constitutes a criminal offense,” the lawyer stated.
According to Rekhviashvili, Elisashvili himself reacted to the new charge with irony.
“Aleko laughed and said, ‘They’ve already given me 13 years, and now this is a fourth case.’ They are now trying to discredit him by adding to the existing cases—the Ali Babaev case, two terrorism cases, and now yet another criminal case—to portray him as a dangerous repeat offender and criminal. In doing so, they are trying to justify the 13-year sentence passed down to him.
It is obvious that this word does not warrant such serious consequences, especially considering that it concerns Shota Chipashvili, who, if I am not mistaken, is a unit commander. He was the one who inflicted severe injuries on Aleko. Eight months ago, Elisashvili gave testimony in prison regarding these injuries and provided investigators with all necessary information. However, instead of an investigation into Chipashvili, we see double standards. Under the law, Chipashvili at the very least should have been charged with torture and abuse of power; instead, charges are brought against the person who called his alleged tormentor ‘not a man,'” the lawyer said.
As a reminder, Aleko Elisashvili was charged in the fourth criminal case under Part 1 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Georgia—”Contempt of Court.”