“Even if they acquit us, what do we do with these nine months? I have forgiven what you’ve done to me, but what you’re doing to the country, never forgive that,” said humorist Onise Tskhadadze, who was detained on charges of participating in group violence during protest actions, in his final statement at the concluding court session.
As he noted, “In this country, society is growing, but governments fail to grow.”
“I do not acknowledge this charge, as no connection between me and the other accused can be established, nor will it ever be. No connection can be established between us and the so-called organizers of this case, whose charges are equally absurd. No connection can be established because not only did we not know each other, but we are not even friends or followers on any social network. Most likely, we never even passed each other on the street or caught each other’s eye until we ended up on this accused bench.
In such conditions, Your Honor, let me explain this charge with an example. I graduated from school in 2014. Since then, every year for 11 years, people who grew up together for 12 years have tried to gather, and we haven’t managed to organize it. Unlike this case, many of us want to gather, and we have organizers. So, Your Honor, how can you imagine an organized group crime involving people who have no connection whatsoever?
Beyond all this, this case has no victims. Despite several police officers, a city hall employee, and a parliament employee testifying as witnesses, none of them said they were harmed by any of the accused here. They said, ‘I didn’t see, I don’t know.’ In fact, no witness harmed on the day I’m accused of was brought here.
I also want to note the actions of the police, which were visible in the videos presented here. There were horrific insults from the police, throwing objects, cursing, and offensive gestures. They threatened us with death and actions that, if carried out, would truly force a man to get married. Fortunately, I still plan to marry a woman.
As for the requalification of the charge, I don’t agree with that either, and the lawyers have explained this point by point. So, you have two options. The only correct one is to open this cursed, battered door, which is probably in such a state due to its sins, and let us go, meaning acquit us.
Now I’ll move to the second part of my closing statement, which is so dear to me that I named it. Mia. It’s a girl’s name. Mia, meaning ‘Thanks to Ideal Advocates.’ This part is dear to me because I tried to express several emotions in it, so I ask you to refrain from any emotions so the judge doesn’t close the session.
First, I love everyone fighting not for personal interests but for a better future for our homeland, both in this courtroom and beyond. Whatever decision the judge announces, accept it calmly. Hold your head high and walk proudly, because we are all on the right side of history in this historic moment. What a historic moment. We may soon witness the fall of the empire of evil. Victory to Ukraine! Glory to Georgia! Glory to heroes!
I want to thank the lawyers – mine, others’, and the public defenders – for being honorable people and acting as you did.
I’m not afraid of anything that threatens my physical freedom, health, or even life. I’m more afraid of oppressing someone, taking something from someone, humiliating, or deceiving them. For having such fears, I want to thank my parents, my brother, my family, and my friends. Thank you, and thanks to everyone who shares such fears. And thanks to the lawyers for lifting the veil on this court for even more people.
This court is no different from a Soviet court. The only difference is in the laws. If execution were allowed today, you would surely sentence people to death, because judges serve not justice but the specific interests of specific politicians. Your pure statistics prove this: six convictions and not a single acquittal. If I’m wrong, then at least once tell Irakli Kobakhidze, Mamuka Mdinaradze, Shalva Papuashvili, Gia Volski, ‘I don’t care what you say about this case, your statements mean nothing to me.’ Say it loudly and with an acquittal. You sent Davit Khomeriki, Mate Devidze, and Giorgi Mindadze to prison. All three are clearly good people, but I want to talk about Giorgi Mindadze because I shared a cell with him and got to know him closely. Giorgi Mindadze is a 22-year-old, tall, playful kid who can do anything he sets his mind to. Instead of the state helping such people develop and find their potential, it sends them to prison.
I cannot avoid mentioning Mzia Amaghlobeli’s case, because her verdict wasn’t just issued by that judge. It was issued by the Georgian court, and that includes you. So, I want to tell you a story to make you understand what kind of person they did this to.
About a month and a half after my detention, I decided to start a hunger strike, but I didn’t tell anyone – not the prison administration, my family, or my lawyer. I wanted to see if I could do it. I didn’t want it to seem like populism. On the second day, in the evening, I felt terrible weakness, as if my whole body ached, and I decided not to do it. I, a 29-year-old man, couldn’t do it. Mzia Amaghlobeli, however, went on a hunger strike for 39 days, and people mocked her – people who have snacks between breakfast, lunch, and dinner because they can’t get enough. They demanded repentance from people who can’t get up from their chairs, from a person who never sat on the accused bench and stood for hours as a sign of protest. So, everyone should know: one day, a footballer might be born who wins nine Ballon d’Ors, but know that no one greater than Mzia Amaghlobeli will ever be born. By the way, the real danger is that one day Irakli Dgebuadze might get married.
Thank you to everyone who helped us even with a single penny and to those who organized this support. Thanks to the lawyers.
Whatever decision you make in this case, it doesn’t change much. In a country where Ilia Chavchavadze, Mikheil Javakhishvili, Titsian Tabidze, Sandro Akhmeteli were killed… Onise Tskhadadze’s imprisonment isn’t a big deal. But you must understand that continuing this process will lead us to a state where Ilia Chavchavadze, Mikheil Javakhishvili, Sandro Akhmeteli, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, Merab Kostava, and countless other brilliant people would be killed again.
It’s not dangerous for me to spend a few years in prison. What’s dangerous is walking down the street not knowing what will hit you on the head, when a man displaced from occupied territories sets himself on fire to get the state’s attention, when you let a child go outside and they don’t come back because they were electrocuted somewhere or fell somewhere…
Propagandists often claimed we were taking children to a revolution. Until now, I didn’t say anything about this for specific reasons, but now I must say it’s not true, and I’ll tell you what is true. Before the November 28 statement, I was deeply disturbed by the fact that facts about Georgians’ uprisings against Russia were removed from the history exam program, and from literature—‘The Happy Nation,’ ‘Jaqo’s Dispossessed,’ ‘The Traveler’s Letters,’ and other works essential for preserving our nation’s identity. Back then, I wanted to tell children to learn these things despite this terrible fact, and since I couldn’t then, I’ll say it now: Learn our country’s history, read Georgian literature. Learn, read, work tirelessly, and then you’ll understand what we’re fighting for when your knowledge, talent, and tireless work are outdone by the flattery of talentless idlers. But don’t stop. Work harder, and you’ll achieve everything. Some of you will become great lawyers, advocates (thanks to our lawyers), economists, successful businessmen, teachers, world-class footballers, basketball players… But whatever you achieve, sometimes get out of your expensive cars, walk the streets, and see if everything is as it seems from your expensive cars. Maybe many people are struggling and living badly, unlike you. Thank you in advance to everyone who heeds this advice, and thank you to the lawyers who didn’t need such advice.
Thank you to the media, the press, theater, culture. Thank you to all the clergy who perform their duties so purely that speaking the truth comes easily to them, and thank you to the lawyers. Thank you to the prosecution for one thing only: for introducing me to these people. And one more thanks to the lawyers.
If an unfair decision is made in this case, I promise that as soon as I return to my cell, I’ll start describing the prison in detail so that when the time comes, you’ll know what conditions await you there. But I won’t be the one to arrest you – the Georgian people, a fair court, and a free prosecution will. On the contrary, I’ll help you and recommend the best lawyers. For example, Mr. Vazha and Mr. Irakli Chomakhashvili get along very well. Mr. Irakli, if anything happens, will you defend Vazha Todua’s interests?
Thank you personally to Irakli Chomakhashvili. As for Mr. Vakhtang, he often looks at the ceiling, clearly searching for God. I hope he finds Him soon, because only God can protect Mr. Vakhtang. Speaking of God, I can’t help but say: Thank you, God, that you exist, and thank you to the lawyers for believing in God, because you’ve proven our truth in every way. But we’re all left hoping in God.
Irakli Garibashvili thanked Bidzina Ivanishvili seven times when leaving politics. I’ve already thanked the lawyers eight times, but I want to round it up and thank them two more times. Thank you, lawyers, thank you, lawyers. That makes 12, so I’ll take it to 20. Thank you, lawyers, thank you, lawyers, thank you, lawyers… thank you, lawyers.
Thank you to Giorgi Akhobadze, Tedo Abramov, Temur Khatamadze, Nikoloz Katsia.
Solidarity and freedom to Mzia Amaghlobeli, Nino Datashvili, Irakli Miminoshvili, Zviad Tsetskhladze, Giorgi Gorgadze, Nikoloz Javakhishvili, Insaf Aliev, Vepkhia Kasradze, Giorgi Okmelashvili, Mate Devidze, Giorgi Mindadze, Davit Khomeriki, Anatoli Gigaura, Anton Chechin, Saba Jikia, and all prisoners of conscience. Solidarity and freedom to all illegally detained politicians.
And finally, I want to end with very reliable and joyful information. I heard that if we maintain visa-free travel, the prosecutors will fall in love with each other and get married. So, Mr. Vazha, Mr. Vakhtang, you can kiss each other,” Onise Tskhadadze said in his final statement, which is being shared on his social media page.
Onise Tskhadadze: What you have done to me, I have forgiven, but what you are doing to the country, no excuses – the best thing would be to open this damned, rotten door, probably worn down by sins, and let us out of here
