Zviad Tsetskhladze

Apprehended

Tortured

Violence

Prisoner

Z. Tsetskhladze

Zviad
Tsetskhladze

Zviad Tsetskhladze, a 19-year-old law student and activist, was arrested in early December 2024. His supporters argue that this was a politically motivated detention aimed at suppressing youth-led protests.

As the founder of the student movement "Daphioni," Tsetskhladze played a leading role in demonstrations against the so-called "Russian Law." Under his leadership, Daphioni became a central force in student protests, organizing high-profile actions—including a demonstration against a Russian cruise ship in Batumi and weekly protests at Tbilisi State University.

«Democracy has ended in Georgia, which gives society, including me, the right to resist so that democracy can be preserved... I want to thank you very much, fighting always has a purpose.»
—Zviad Tsetskhladze

However, his arrest did not occur during a protest. He was accompanying a friend when plainclothed officers approached and took him away. "He was with a female friend when unidentified individuals took him from the street," his lawyer stated.

Following his detention, police conducted a search of Tsetskhladze’s apartment, a process that lasted for hours. His lawyer was not allowed to be present—a clear violation of Georgian law. This is particularly significant given that Tsetskhladze himself claims the items listed in the search report do not belong to him. The lawyer was only granted access after the official arrest decision was made. Among the confiscated items were gas masks, clothing, and spray bottles—after which he was formally charged under Article 225 of the Criminal Code—which pertains to organizing, leading, or participating in group violence, carrying a potential sentence of 6 to 9 years in prison.

Despite the seriousness of the charges, there is no video footage or objective evidence proving that Tsetskhladze organized or led violent actions.

The prosecution argues that Tsetskhladze was not just a participant but an organizer. Their primary evidence is a video in which he discusses building barricades and defensive tactics. This footage, originally shared by Daphioni itself, has been reinterpreted by authorities as incitement to violence. No further incriminating evidence has been presented by the prosecution.

His lawyer insists that Tsetskhladze’s focus was on defensive measures, not aggression. His family members also highlight that he was not even in Tbilisi between November 27-29, raising further doubts about his alleged involvement in orchestrating group violence.

Nevertheless, on December 6, Tbilisi City Court placed him in pretrial detention. "This is not a legal case, but a political one," said his father, Zurab Tsetskhladze, who also revealed that the family had received threats and that he was dismissed from his job for political reasons.

From prison, Tsetskhladze continues to write letters, declaring: "Despite everything, fighting always has a purpose."

His supporters are calling for international attention, arguing that his arrest is a clear sign of Georgia's shift toward authoritarianism.

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