“This is my first case where a police officer involved in an arrest is himself a defendant,” said Irakli Mukhatgverdi. “True, the court didn’t see any significant violation in his case—shooting a weapon in a public place from an operational vehicle while intoxicated. However, it seems that with this, Georgian Themis balances its high standards toward prisoners of conscience—somewhere in the middle, it comes out as normal in the end,” said Shota Tutberidze, the lawyer for the couple, Artem Gribuli and Anastasia Zinovekina, who are accused of drug-related crimes, addressing Judge Nino Galustashvili.
In his closing statement, he spoke about the participants in the arrest and highlighted the investigative actions that were not conducted.
“Your Honor, Nino [Judge Galustashvili], in the proceedings held before you, I’ve grown accustomed to asking unanswered questions. The last time I delivered a closing statement, which was in the case of prisoner of conscience Davit Khomeriki, I asked you, ‘Do you believe, Your Honor?’
Unfortunately, within the framework of that trial, it was impossible to achieve a lawful and just verdict due to factors known to everyone. However, that hearing was a kind of lesson for me, teaching me that whether or not you believe in specific factual circumstances rarely matters.
That’s why, in my speech today, which is also accompanied by a question, I will ask questions of a different nature. Questions that, in theory, should not be difficult for you to answer and, moreover, questions you will inevitably have to address in your verdict, no matter how baseless it may be. And that question is, ‘Can you guess, Your Honor?’
The case under consideration today consists of malicious but primitive lies. Lies concocted by individuals who not only lack conscience, not only lack intellect, but also lack imagination,” Tutberidze stated.
According to him, the “staged video” should not be accepted by the court as evidence.
“The defendant Zinovekina was arrested on December 17 at 18:41. Of course, at Budapest Street, No. 48. Gribuli was arrested at the same address, with a one-minute difference, almost at the same time. Your Honor, the synchronized work of the police is awe-inspiring. A dance ensemble would be envious of the alignment in timing reflected in the arrest and search protocols—deliberately, but clumsily, off by a minute or two. But, Your Honor, can you guess whether, despite resisting and showing aggression, they answered the police officers’ questions? Clearly, they did. Otherwise, how could Emil Kuprava and Tamar Dzneladze have fabricated information about the defendants’ education and family status? How could they have fabricated the phone numbers of their relatives or their places of residence in Russia? Perhaps they answered while shouting, and that was considered resistance and aggression. Your Honor, you and I, and everyone, know very well that only this part of the protocol is true, while the rest is blatant lies.
It’s noteworthy that there’s a peculiar circumstance regarding the participants in Gribuli’s arrest—this is my first case where a police officer involved in the arrest is himself a defendant, Irakli Mukhatgverdi. True, the court didn’t see any significant violation in his case—shooting a weapon in a public place from an operational vehicle while intoxicated. However, it seems that with this, Georgian Themis balances its high standards toward prisoners of conscience—somewhere in the middle, it comes out as normal in the end.
Another very interesting issue must be noted, Your Honor. As mentioned, on that fateful day of December 17, several things happened: Jemal Mirazanashvili received information from a confidential source; Jemal Mirazanashvili was questioned; Jemal Mirazanashvili checked the defendants in databases; resolutions were issued due to urgent necessity for personal searches; an order was given to search the defendants. Can you guess, Your Honor, what the ‘drug trafficking group’ was doing during this time? According to the prosecution’s version, they were lingering around Budapest Street, No. 48, waiting for this paperwork and case fabrication to be completed so they could be arrested and charged on time. We ask you, Your Honor, to discuss in your verdict what they were doing at the scene for so long—your version would be very interesting as well.
The next episode is the apartment search. Can you guess, Your Honor, when both residents of the apartment are already detained, what basis is there for conducting a search in the apartment? Of course, the old, tried-and-true method—urgent necessity. A recipe for evidence falsification. Interestingly, what evidence was supposed to be destroyed in a locked apartment? Perhaps the cats, which, by the way, the ‘brilliant masters’ of the search couldn’t find. Unfortunately, Mr. Mirazanashvili and everyone else lacked ‘real and realized’ information from a ‘person in direct contact’ that the cats were also members of this criminal group.
It’s worth noting the video—‘evidence’—that begins from the center of an already well-prepared scene, where everything is brilliantly staged. The police calmly and professionally search the apartment, as one of my police acquaintances says, ‘poking around,’ until they come across a nightstand full of drugs and look at the found items with surprised faces. Let’s not forget, these talentless actors couldn’t find the cats, and they also forgot to check the balcony. As one of the officers noted, they had already found the drugs, so why bother? Clearly, this staged video is not admissible evidence,” Tutberidze stated.
He urged the judge to make a lawful decision.
“Your Honor, despite numerous disappointments, as long as you wear the judge’s robe, we expect a fair, lawful, and well-reasoned decision,” Tutberidze said.
Judge Nino Galustashvili will announce the verdict in this case on September 12 at 12:00. On that day, she will also hear the defendants’ final statements.
For reference, officers of the Central Criminal Police detained Anastasia Zinovekina and Artem Gribuli in Tbilisi on December 17, 2024.
According to the prosecution, 16 grams of the narcotic substance “Alpha-PVP” were seized during the search of the defendants’ residence and personal searches.
Anastasia Zinovekina and Artem Gribuli are charged under Article 260, Part 6 of the Criminal Code, which pertains to the acquisition, possession, and transportation of especially large amounts of narcotic substances, carrying a penalty of 8 to 20 years or life imprisonment.
The lawyer for Artem Gribuli and Anastasia Zinovekina addressed the judge: “What evidence was supposed to be destroyed in a locked apartment? Perhaps the cats, which the ‘brilliant masters’ of the search couldn’t find, even though those cats were members of this ‘criminal group’?”
