The grounds for the detention are absurd, and his arrest clearly shows that the regime is afraid – Murtaz Zodelava is a political prisoner, and there is no legal argument for his persecution and detention, – said opposition MP Murtaz Zodelava’s lawyer, Beka Basiliaia.
According to him, all of this is part of a “political order,” because “the regime is afraid of internal information leaking.”
“Murtaz is in good spirits. The grounds for his detention are absurd, and his arrest clearly shows that the regime is frightened. It shows that an internal breakdown is underway, that information is not only leaking but flowing out, and what happened today proves it.
Legal casuistry, evidence, the criminal code, etc. have lost their meaning in this country when a political order is in place. He is a political prisoner, and there is no legal argument for his persecution and detention.
When the SSG representative was talking about the phone, it was laughable, and every time I hear this information it becomes even more laughable. Even if we assume that Levan handed his mobile phone to Murtaz – is that a crime? As for the alleged injuries of SSG employees, that’s ridiculous. If an operative there is trying to convince his superior here of that, then the SSG is in very bad shape. There is footage of Murtaz sitting in their car, telling them – ‘Until you return my phone, I won’t let you go.’ On the contrary, it was Murtaz speaking to them, so what resistance or violence against police are we talking about? Did they release any footage showing Murtaz assaulting someone?!” – said Beka Basiliaia.
For reference, near the State Security Service, where one of the leaders of the “United National Movement” Levan Khabeishvili and Murtaz Zodelava are detained, other leaders and members of the same party are also present.
As a reminder, the SSG detained one of the leaders of the “United National Movement,” Levan Khabeishvili, for publicly promising monetary rewards to officials, allegedly in the form of a bribe. During the arrest, Murtaz Zodelava was also detained.
According to the SSG, Zodelava attempted to escape at the time of the arrest, physically resisted the officers of the Anti-Corruption Agency, and assaulted one of them.
“During Levan Khabeishvili’s arrest, Murtaz Zodelava, who was with him, was also detained. Khabeishvili handed his mobile phone to Zodelava immediately upon being detained. In order to hide the phone, Zodelava tried to flee, during which he physically resisted the officers of the Anti-Corruption Agency and assaulted one of them. His actions are qualified under Article 353 of the Criminal Code, which provides for imprisonment from 2 to 5 years,” – the SSG stated.
Beka Basiliaia: Even if we assume that Levan handed the phone to Murtaz, is that a crime? As for the alleged injuries of the SSG employees, it’s laughable – Murtaz told them, ‘I won’t let you go until you return my phone’; What kind of violence are we talking about?!
