As part of the monitoring of criminal cases, GYLA will observe the court sessions of Vitali Guguchia

As its publicly known, GYLA is monitoring several criminal cases (see also the statement from September 13). Among them, GYLA is also monitoring the criminal case of Vitali Guguchia, who has been charged by the Prosecutor's Office with unlawfully obstructing a journalist in their professional activities and committing violence within the framework of an ongoing investigation by the Special Investigation Service. .¹ A pre-trial session for Vitali Guguchia is scheduled for September 24 at 13:00 in the Zugdidi City Court, during which the court will primarily address the admissibility of evidence and the case's transfer to the merits stage. On August 6, 2024, the Zugdidi District Court granted bail of 5,000 GEL to the accused, Vitali Guguchia, as a preventive measure in this case. ²

We would like to remind the public that Vitali Guguchia was indicted in connection with an incident involving a journalist and cameraman from "Pos TV." ³ The owner of 52% of Pos tv Georgia, a limited liability company, is Viktor Japaridze, a member of Parliament from the "Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia" party. ⁴ Prior to the incident, Vitali Guguchia had publicly criticized Viktor Japaridze, who visited his shop, for supporting the so-called "Russian law." ⁵ According to public sources, Guguchia is known as one of the activists opposing this controversial legislation. ⁶

The Georgian Young Laywers’ Association will monitor the court sessions of the mentioned criminal case and will inform the public about the findings revealed at the sessions. 

Since 2011, GYLA has been monitoring criminal justice processes using a pre-developed methodology and questionnaires. To date, the organization has prepared 18 monitoring reports on criminal justice processes, issued 2 special reports, and developed a criminal justice process monitoring manual. The aim of this monitoring is to enhance the transparency and accountability of the justice system, identify challenges within criminal justice procedures, and provide the public with objective information on criminal cases of high public interest.

1 According to parts 1 of Article 154 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (CPC) and 1 of Article 126 of the CPC.

2 The court fined Vitaly Guguchia 5,000 GEL bail, Publika, 06.08.24, available at: https://publika.ge/sasamartlom-vitali-guguchias-5-000-lariani-girao-sheufarda/ [Updated: 23.09.24].

3The prosecutor's office charged one person with the fact of illegally obstructing a journalist in his professionalactivities and violence, the website of the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia, 08.05.2024, available: https://shorturl.at/VyA6h, [Updated: 23.09.24].

4 Declaration of the property status of the official, available at: https://declaration.acb.gov.ge/Home/DownloadPdf/151350 , [Updated: 23.09.24].

5 Among them, Vitali Guguchia and his wife told Japaridze that "the orange was not a problem, because he took away the future of his children", see "Whoever deserves an orange, we will throw an orange" - Viktor Japaridze, Formula, 29.05.24, available at: https://formulanews.ge/News/112211 [Updated: 23.09.24].

6 see Formula: Activist Vitaly Guguchia summoned to present charges, 06/05/2024, available https://formulanews.ge/News/115186, [Updated: 23.09.24].