Two "Free Zone" activists fined in Georgia

Today, the Tbilisi City Court has sentenced two activists of the NGO "Free Zone" Parnavaz Chkadua, detained after the attack on the office of the NGO, and David Gogokhiya, detained in the place, where journalist Zaza Davitaya was beaten up, to administrative fines of four and six thousand laris, respectively.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 2 David Gogokhiya's advocate said that his client was beaten up at the police station.

According to the advocate, contrary to the agreements with the police, employees of the Vake-Saburtalo station not let a medical expert to examine the state of David Gogokhiya.

"It was seen in the courtroom that Gogokhiya's face was swollen from beatings; same with Parnavaz Chkadua," one of the "Free Zone" activists, who was present at the trial, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The case of David Gogokhiya and Parnavaz Chkadua are a part of the campaign aimed "against democratic institutions and against Georgia as such," Gela Vasadze, the Chairman of the Board of the NGO "Free Zone", told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Currently, Gogokhiya and Chkadua are kept in the in pre-trial detention facility of the Tbilisi UVD (Interior Department). They will be released immediately after the fines are paid.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.