Judge Paata Silagadze of the Tbilisi Court of Appeals upheld the convictions of eight people detained during the December 2024 protests.

At first instance, Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili sentenced Vepkhia Kasradze, Vasil Kadzelashvili, and Zviad Tsetskhladze to 2 years and 6 months’ imprisonment, while the other five convicted individuals — Irakli Miminoshvili, Tornike Goshadze, Insaf Aliyev, Nikoloz Javakhishvili, and Giorgi Gorgadze — were sentenced to 2 years’ imprisonment.

The first-instance court reclassified the charges from Article 225 of the Criminal Code of Georgia to Article 226. Article 226 concerns the organization of group actions, or participation in such actions, that seriously disrupt public order.

Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili found Zviad Tsetskhladze, Vepkhia Kasradze, and Vasil Kadzelashvili to be the organizers of the group action, while the remaining five individuals were found to be participants.

In their appeal, the convicted individuals sought the annulment of the first-instance judgment and requested an acquittal. The prosecution, for its part, challenged the judgment with respect to the legal qualification of the offence and sought the conviction of the individuals under the provision concerning participation in group violence.