Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia stated on November 30 it has launched a criminal probe against Nika Gvaramia, the lawyer of jailed ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili and the director of government-critical Mtavari Arkhi TV, over contempt of court.
The prosecution claimed Gvaramia insulted the prosecutors during Saakashvili’s trial on November 29. The investigation was launched under Article 366 (1), involving contempt of court manifested in the insult of a participant of legal proceedings, punishable by a fine, community service of 180-240 hours, or imprisonment for up to one year.
The Prosecutor’s Office has also appealed to the Tbilisi City Court to dismiss Gvaramia from the hearings in the criminal case against Saakashvili, and to the Georgian Bar Association for disciplinary proceedings against the lawyer.
Gvaramia said the Prosecutor’s Office has “fabricated another criminal case” against him. “What you achieved with this statement is that the public is again laughing at you, and you discredited your own agency and employees,” he noted.
Gvariamia also warned the Bar Association against suspending his license, and the Tbilisi City Court against dismissing him from the trials, arguing both moves would “unlawfully and groundlessly” deprive him of the possibility to protect Saakashvili’s rights.
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