Judge Tornike Kapanadze of Tbilisi City Court imposed three days of administrative detention on Aleksi (Buka) Petriashvili, former State Minister for European Integration, for standing on the sidewalk. The Ministry of Internal Affairs alleged that, on 17 December, Petriashvili had created an obstruction to pedestrian movement on the sidewalk in front of Parliament.

Before the decision was announced, Petriashvili told the court that the video did not show any indication that anyone’s movement on the sidewalk had been obstructed. According to him, there was sufficient space around him and people were moving freely. Petriashvili also stated that, on 17 December, there had been no instruction from the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the location, and argued that the law in question contradicts the Constitution of Georgia and international standards.On the same day, Judge Kapanadze also heard the case of another protest participant, Sandro Sekhniashvili, and issued him a verbal warning. The Ministry of Internal Affairs alleged that Sekhniashvili had blocked the roadway in front of Parliament on 7 February.