The so-called treasury lawyer, a certain charlatan named Irakli Benia, was acting against my will with me at the “Kapeze.” It didn’t take me a minute to say that he is an illegitimate representative and that I do not recognize him as a lawyer, so I threw him out of the room. Now I’ve learned that he intends to appeal the court’s decision, also against my will,” writes Elene Khoshtaria, one of the leaders of the “Coalition for Change,” who is currently in prison, on social media.
As Khoshtaria explains, “The alleged crime does not exist; therefore, no lawyer exists.”
“The so-called treasury lawyer, a certain charlatan named Irakli Benia, was acting against my will with me at the ‘Kapeze.’ It didn’t take me a minute to say that he is an illegitimate representative and that I do not recognize him as a lawyer, so I threw him out of the room. Now I’ve learned that he intends to appeal the court’s decision, also against my will.
I have clearly stated that I have excellent lawyers, specifically Shota Tutberidze, but this is not that case, this is not that court, and I am not at all interested in who is wandering around there. The crime does not exist; therefore, there is no lawyer.
P.S. This same Benia did the same thing with conscience prisoners in Gldani. They kicked him out from there too.
So everyone should take note: whatever this charlatan says or writes, he is not connected to me. He does not have my consent and, with this action, is likely breaking the law,” Khoshtaria writes.
For context, the Tbilisi City Court imposed a 5,000 GEL bail as a preventive measure on politician Elene Khoshtaria, who is accused of damaging the election banner of Tbilisi mayoral candidate Kakha Kaladze. Consequently, the politician will be able to leave the detention facility after paying the bail, but Khoshtaria refuses to pay it.
Law enforcement arrested Elene Khoshtaria on September 15 of this year. She was charged under Article 187, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (damage to another’s property causing significant harm), which carries a penalty of one to five years of imprisonment. On September 14, Khoshtaria wrote “Russian Dream” on Kakha Kaladze’s campaign banner at his election office. She posted a video of this act on social media herself and stated that it was a show of solidarity with Megi Diasamidze, who was arrested a few days earlier for damaging the same banner.
Elene Khoshtaria: The so-called treasury lawyer was acting against my will with me at the “Kapeze”; I told him that I do not recognize him and threw him out of the room; Now I’ve learned that he intends to appeal the court’s decision against my will as well
