Tbilisi Court of Appeals Hears Nika Melia’s Case Today

Today, Tbilisi Court of Appeals hears the case of Nika Melia, a member of the United National Movement (UNM), who was charged by the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia for the June 20 developments in front of Parliament in Tbilisi.

Both sides appeal the Tbilisi City Court's decision regarding Melia’s release on 30 000 GEL bail. The Prosecutor’s Office demands Melia’s imprisonment, while the attorney of the politician appeals certain restrictions imposed against him. Namely, the lawyer of Melia, Giorgi Kondakhishvili, appeals the judge's decision, according to which the opposition MP has been deprived of the right to leave his place of residence without the consent of the investigation body. He has also been deprived of the right to make public statements in public areas. Additionally, Melia had to hand over his identification documents to law enforcers.

The Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation against Nika Melia under Article 225 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, on charges of organizing or managing group violence or participating in it during the June 20-21 rally in front of the Parliament of Georgia in Tbilisi.

On June 26, the Georgian Parliamentary Procedural and Legal Affairs committees agreed to the appeal of the General Prosecutor’s Office to apply to Court with mediation to impose detention to Nika Melia. On the same day, Georgian Parliament suspended Melia’s political immunity at a plenary session. 91 politicians voted in favor of lifting his immunity, with zero against.

By Ana Dumbadze