Eight more people have been convicted in connection with the attempted seizure of the presidential palace in Georgia.

Eight people have been sentenced to five-year prison terms in connection with the attempted seizure of the presidential palace on October 4, 2025. Six people, who pleaded guilty and entered into plea bargains, were released in the courtroom.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," in early May, the Tbilisi City Court sentenced the organizers and participants of the protest that took place on October 4, 2025, the day of municipal elections, to lengthy prison terms. The defense called the sentence politically motivated. In early June, eight defendants in the case of the storming of the Georgian presidential administration building on October 4 were released after entering into plea bargains. They received three-year suspended sentences in exchange for their guilty pleas. On June 19, the Tbilisi City Court announced the verdict against six defendants – Giorgi Chakhunashvili, Ia Darakhvelidze, Konstantin Kokaia, Kakhaber Mzhavanadze, David Sturua, David Zhgenti, and Zakro Albutashvili – each sentencing them to five years in prison.

The court found eight defendants guilty of one count related to the events of October 4 – Zurab Chavchanidze, Vladimir Gvelesiani, Amiran Dolishvili, Anton Vardanidze, Alexander Chilachava, Gennady Kupreishvili, Sulkhan Tugushi, and Ramaz Mamuladze, Interpressnews reports.

According to the judge's decision The Romeo Tkeshelashvili Tbilisi City Court sentenced all eight defendants, including Zurab Chavchanidze, to five years in prison.

Despite the fact that Chavchanidze stated during the trial that he had asked the prosecutor's office to enter into a plea bargain, the judge explained to him that this stage had already been completed and that everyone who wished to enter into a plea bargain had already done so.

The prosecutor in the case, Tamar Yakobidze, explained that the accused did not admit guilt either in the statement sent to the prosecutor's office or during the trial, but merely requested a plea bargain. According to the prosecutor, the convicted person retains the right to petition for a plea bargain in the second instance court, but in this case, Chavchanidze's plea bargain was denied due to his failure to admit to the crime.

The prosecution has repeatedly stated that plea bargaining negotiations will be conducted with those individuals who admit to the crime they committed. This is because, by its very nature, a plea bargain presupposes an admission of the crime and repentance, the agency writes.

They were accused of attempted seizure of a strategic and particularly important facility by a group of individuals and participation in group violence, which carries a prison sentence of up to six years.

A total of 14 defendants were involved in this case. Six of them—Georgi Korkia, Giorgi Rurua, Khvicha Gogokhia, Levan Jikia, Lasha Ivanadze, and Sergo Megrelishvili—entered into plea bargains and were released from the courtroom.

A total of 64 people were brought to criminal responsibility in connection with the events of October 4. At this stage, the prosecutor's office has agreed to enter into plea bargains for 22 people, Georgia Online reports.

On October 4, 2025, municipal elections were held in all municipalities of Georgia. Candidates from the ruling Georgian Dream party were elected mayors in all 64 cities where elections were held, receiving 100% of the vote in 26 of them.

The "Caucasian Knot" is posting materials about the recent municipal elections and protests by opposition supporters on the thematic page "Georgia: Elections Amid Protests".