City Court Leaves Giorgi Rurua in Custody

Based on the decision of the Tbilisi City Court, Giorgi Rurua, one of the founders and shareholders of Mtavari Arkhi TV, who was arrested for illegal possession and carrying of a firearm on November 18, 2019, will remain in custody. 

The judge did not grant the motion of the defense to change the measure of restraint, says Nika Gvaramia, the founder of the Mtavari Arkhi. 

Rurua is one of the persons the opposition demanded be released under the March 8 agreement. Opposition representatives claim that he was arrested for political reasons. 

On May 15, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili pardoned two other leaders of the opposition, former Mayor of Tbilisi Gigi Ugulava and former Minister of Defense Irakli Okruashvili, after several members of the European Parliament urged Georgian authorities to release its "political prisoners." 

However, based on the court's ruling, Giorgi Rurua will remain in custody. 

By Ana Dumbadze 

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