**No Direct Connection to Crime Found in Detained Protesters’ Case**
In a recent court hearing, the lead investigator in the case of 11 individuals detained during a protest rally, Arsen Khunashvili, revealed that no direct connection between the defendants and the organizers of the crime has been established. This information was shared with defense lawyers and the judge presiding over the case.
**Phone Forensics Key to Determining Organizer Links**
According to Khunashvili, determining whether the defendants had any connections to the organizers of the protest rally violence will depend on forensic analysis of their mobile phones. He stated that he did not personally review the phones before sending them for examination and emphasized that retrieving call records from cell towers was not part of his investigation.
**Investigator Limited Role**
As a witness in the court hearing, Arsen Khunashvili clarified that his role as lead investigator was limited to reviewing videos related to the case. He testified that he had not retrieved any evidence that would confirm links between the defendants and the organizers.
**Defense Lawyers Press for Clarification**
During the questioning by defense lawyers, it became clear that determining connections between the defendants and the organizers of the crime is crucial in this case. For example, one attorney asked if there was any evidence to support Valeri Tetrashvili’s connection to the organizers. The witness replied that forensic analysis of his phone would be required to determine this.
**No Direct Link Established**
The same question was posed by Judge Nino Galustashvili in relation to other defendants, and Khunashvili replied that while videos showed some individuals together, no direct link to the organizers had been established. This lack of evidence has implications for the prosecution’s case against these 11 individuals.
**Context: Charges Against Detained Protesters**
For context, the detainees – Andro Chichinadze, Onise Tskhadadze, Jano Archaia, and nine others – face charges under Article 225, Part 2 of the Georgian Criminal Code for participating in group violence during a protest rally near the Parliament. This offense is punishable by 4 to 6 years of imprisonment.
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