Aleko Elisashvili, one of the leaders of the Strong Georgia–Lelo coalition, has been remanded in custody as a preventive measure.
The decision was made recently by Tbilisi City Court judge Lela Maridashvili.
“I admit the facts, but I have committed no crime. I wanted to give everyone a slap,” Aleko Elisashvili stated during the court proceedings.
According to Elisashvili’s statement, he wanted to “set fire to the violence that exists in the country”.
“You’re accusing me of some nonsense. If I’d wanted to kill someone, none of those bailiffs would be alive; I handle weapons well. I’m impressed by that bailiff’s courage; he was a small, thin man, but I’ll acknowledge his manhood; he did his job. We fought, and I have outfought him. The only thing I wanted was to get away from him; he grabbed hold of me, and I couldn’t break free. Well done to him. You’re surprised to hear me say this, but I am first a human being, then a man, and then I am a terrorist.
I wanted to set fire to injustice. I told my family I was going fishing. I prepared everything in advance; I had a plan to express my protest. I couldn’t bear watching them scatter little children like cats, even these bailiffs.
I admit the fact, but I have committed no crime. I didn’t try to burn the building; I spent an hour smashing glass. If I’d acted quickly, I would have achieved my goal. I sat by the fence thinking whether to go through or not, then I got angry with myself—how will I back down now, I thought.
I wanted to slap everyone so that we would remain men in this country and not submit to what is happening. I had the right to carry a weapon. I travelled such a route, perhaps jackals could have attacked me along the way, that’s why I took out this weapon. If I’d wanted to attack someone, not one would have remained alive. The weapon fell out in the scuffle. My respect to the bailiffs. They did their job, defending their territory.
I want to apologise to my people. For a year now, you’ve been struggling. I want to tell Irakli Kupradze that this is anger and rage. I apologise to him if he thinks I damaged the common cause. I had no such intention.
For an hour, a policeman kept telling me that Khazaradze paid me a lot of money. Khazaradze, Japaridze and Kupradze are aware that I haven’t asked for a single tetri from anyone. Push it to the end, those of us who remain outside; we shall win,” stated Aleko Elisashvili.
Aleko Elisashvili was arrested on November 29. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Elisashvili attempted to set fire to the Tbilisi City Court registry building.
According to the investigation’s information, at approximately 04:00, masked Aleksandre Elisashvili, armed with a firearm, combat materials and items necessary for carrying out a terrorist act, approached the Tbilisi City Court building, used a hammer to smash the glass of the court registry office building’s exterior façade and entered the court’s interior space.
“After illegally entering the building, Aleksandre Elisashvili poured a large quantity of flammable substance in various parts of the interior space, including on items and documentation located on site, and attempted to start a fire by igniting it. During the process of pouring the flammable substance, Aleksandre Elisashvili was caught by employees of the court bailiff service. Upon seeing one of the bailiffs, Aleksandre Elisashvili immediately attacked him and began beating him. During the detention process, three employees of the bailiff service attempted to neutralise Aleksandre Elisashvili, to prevent him from igniting the flammable substance and to disarm him. The attacker, for his part, attempted to draw and use the firearm. For approximately 5-6 minutes, Aleksandre Elisashvili actively resisted the bailiff service employees, after overcoming which it became possible to neutralise and detain him,” states the Prosecutor’s Office information.
Aleko Elisashvili has been charged with attempting to commit a terrorist act at the Tbilisi City Court. The charge presented carries a sentence of 10 to 15 years’ imprisonment. The Prosecutor’s Office has also released video footage.
