Guilty Verdict for 8 Arrested during May Bassiani Raids

Tbilisi City Court found 8 persons arrested during the raids on Tbilisi nightclubs on 12 May 2018 guilty of drug offenses.

All of the 8 were found guilty of possessing, selling, purchasing or storing MDMA, a drug also known as ecstasy. Their sentences range from 7 to 9.5 years in prison.

3 people were found guilty on February 7, whilst 5 were found guilty by Tbilisi City Court earlier in January and February.

Bassiani and Cafe Gallery were raided by police officers on 12 May 2018 due to suspicions of drug use in the clubs. The raids sparked a 3-day long protest regarding strict drug laws and personal freedom. The rally stopped after Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia promised to work on drug policy reform. Aside from the decriminalization of cannabis in August 2018, very little has changed.

By Amy Jones

Photo source:  Fact Magazine