Apprehended

Tortured

Violence

Prisoner

S. Jikia

Saba
Jikia

Saba Jikia, a young man born in 2006, lived with his mother and two sisters in the village of Akhal Abastumani, Zugdidi Municipality. Before his arrest, he worked in a restaurant and was preparing to take computer science courses. Saba's friends and family describe him as cheerful, smiling, and a book lover. According to his friends, while in prison, he has already read 36 books, including George Orwell's famous dystopian novel "1984,"

Despite the difficult situation, Saba maintains his spirit and perseverance. In a letter sent from prison, he expresses his readiness to fight:

«"I am in good spirits, I am ready, I am not afraid»
—Saba Jikia

Arrest and Charges: Political Context

On December 1, 2024, during a protest rally on Rustaveli Avenue, Saba Jikia allegedly attacked Beka Gotiashvili, an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs' Special Tasks Department (GDG), near the Parliament building by kicking him in the leg. According to Gotiashvili's testimony, he fell but sustained no injuries. He himself states that "it depends on what 'violent dispersal' means," but "in his opinion," he has never violently dispersed protesters.

Saba Jikia recalls this episode differently: a short while before, he was sprayed with pepper spray, and upon getting out of an ambulance, he saw one of the demonstrators being subjected to violence (presumably the person held by the special forces officer identified as the victim in the video) and ran towards him.

Saba's lawyer, Guja Avsajanashvili, explains that Saba Jikia could not have identified the law enforcement officer as the person he is accused of attacking. He had no identifying marks and looked like many others at the protests, including so-called provocateurs. The case includes a video showing that the person, whose identification is impossible in the video and whom Saba Jikia kicks, was previously engaged in a hand-to-hand confrontation with other people. He had one person detained, then they collided, he was made to let go, everyone stumbled together, and at that moment, Saba appears in the frame.

On December 5, 2024, Saba Jikia was arrested for this incident. He was charged under Article 353 Prime, Part 1 of the Criminal Code, which refers to assaulting a police officer and carries a sentence of 4 to 7 years in prison. The prosecution also claimed that Saba was holding a "shiny object," but this object was not identified and was not found to be connected to the case. Lawyer Nino Mchedlishvili clarified that the indictment did not mention anything about an attack using a knife, despite the prosecution frequently discussing it during the hearing. Saba Jikia denies the charges.

It is important to consider the ** context:** Saba's arrest occurred against the backdrop of large-scale protest rallies where thousands of citizens demanded freedom and justice and protested Irakli Kobakhidze's statement on November 28. Nine other individuals involved in the protests, including Mzia Amaglobeli, director of the newspaper "Batumelebi," have also been placed in pre-trial detention under the same article. None of them admit guilt.

Court Proceedings: Chronology and Procedural Violations

Saba Jikia's court proceedings, like other similar cases, have been marked by procedural violations and questionable evidence.

December 7, 2024: Judge Davit Mgeliashvili sentenced Saba to 2 months of pre-trial detention. During the court hearing, Saba exercised his right to speak and apologized to his family members. He stated: "What I did is really bad, I regret it. I have two younger sisters." However, this statement was likely emotional and did not constitute an admission of guilt, as he consistently denied the charges thereafter.

January 29, 2025: As part of the ongoing investigation surrounding the protests, Judge Lela Kalichenko kept 18-year-old Saba Jikia in custody. Prosecutor Tamar Iakobidze cited the danger of committing a new crime and absconding as reasons for continued detention. The defense, through its lawyer, argued that the dangers mentioned in the December 7 ruling no longer existed to the extent that detention should remain in force. The lawyer emphasized that there were no neutral witnesses in the case – only investigators or experts, which meant Saba had no opportunity to influence these witnesses. The defense requested that Saba be released without a preventive measure, or alternatively, that bail of 5,000 GEL be imposed. Judge Lela Kalichenko granted the prosecutor's motion. The substantive hearing of the case was scheduled for February 11. Saba Jikia has no prior criminal record.

April 25, 2025: Investigators were questioned in court regarding Saba Jikia's case. Investigator Ekaterine Mtivlishvili stated that the video evidence against Saba Jikia was found on social media, specifically by Investigator Irene Tevzadze of the First Department. According to her, the video showed a young male protester kicking a special forces officer who had fallen to the ground in the stomach area. This video material was examined and sent to various departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for identification purposes. A habitoscopy examination was also ordered for the video, and its conclusion is part of the case file. Police officer Levan Karchava, who was questioned as a witness, stated that he initially identified the person in the video as Saba Jikia. He explained that he had professional contact with Jikia in the past, "1-2 years ago": when stopped on the street for verification, Saba did not have his ID, so Karchava, with Saba's consent, took his photo. Through this photo, using a special database, Saba was identified. Karchava confirmed to the judge that in the video where the person runs towards the camera and his face is clearly visible, he recognized Saba Jikia.

May 15, 2025: GDG employee Gogi Khmaladze, who was in front of the Parliament on Rustaveli Avenue on the night of November 30, recalled that the protesters did not obey calls, threw stones, and at that time, GDG employee Beka Gotiashvili was attacked. Khmaladze states that he went to help him. It was at this moment that the defendant ran up the stairs and kicked the fallen officer. Khmaladze also stated that he saw a knife in the defendant's hand as he fled.

June 17, 2025: Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili deemed undeniable the evidence obtained by the prosecution, which the defense, in turn, submitted as its own evidence. This means the court will not examine this evidence. Saba Jikia's lawyer, Guja Avsajanashvili, was not allowed to question prosecution witnesses of interest to the defense. The lawyer filed a motion to recuse Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili due to this decision, explaining that the judge's decision directly questioned her impartiality. However, this motion was not granted. At this stage, presumably only two hearings remain before the verdict is reached. The next hearings will hear Saba's, the prosecutor's, and the lawyer's closing statements, after which the judge's decision will be announced.

June 26, 2025: Saba turned 19 in prison. His verdict was supposed to be announced on this day, but the judge granted a motion to postpone the hearing.

July 3, 2025: Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili postponed the announcement of Saba Jikia's verdict until July 10.

July 10, 2025: Before the verdict was announced, Saba took the opportunity to deliver his final statement, thanking the public for their support and encouragement.

«This is motivation and a reminder that we are not alone. Friends, it's a simple saying, but for a long time now, we've become one family, united around one goal. This goal is to get rid of the Russian regime, for which we are relentlessly fighting»

Despite being confined within four walls, he sees and appreciates the people's struggle for free thought and mutual protection, which gives him hope. Saba notes that even their presence at the court hearings is an expression of this solidarity—a message that they are not afraid and have not broken.

«However, I still have an inner fear. I am afraid of defeat, because I don't want future generations to criticize us for this defeat. I am afraid of defeat because I don't want children to grow up in an unjust country and a dictatorship. That's why I will fight to the end, with whatever I can, for as long as I can. It's strange to hear this from a 19-year-old boy, but it's true, my friends, I will not give up»

Despite his imprisonment on absurd charges and spending his youth in jail, Saba notes that this experience also had its positive sides: he gained a large family, met great people, learned the value of freedom, and understood the real situation in the country. He also says that his grandchildren will have proud stories to tell, because they stand on the right side of history.

After Saba Jikia's final statement, Judge Tamar Mchedlishvili announced the verdict, sentencing him to 4 years and 6 months in prison. Lawyer Guja Avsajanashvili harshly criticized the court's decision, stating that the judge arrived with a predetermined verdict even before she went to deliberate. According to him, it took the judge longer to explain the verdict than to go to the deliberation room, which, in the lawyer's opinion, indicates a pre-prepared decision.

Avsajanashvili also noted that the judge stated that a habitoscopy expertise was not necessary and that if the chief investigator was questioned, the questioning of other witnesses would be superfluous. According to the lawyer's assessment, this constitutes a complete violation of the Criminal Procedure Code. Guja Avsajanashvili confirmed that they will definitely appeal this decision.

The Knife of Propaganda

The presence of a knife in the case is a key issue that has attracted public attention. According to Saba Jikia's lawyer, a knife was never part of the case materials or the indictment. Nevertheless, the propaganda television channel "Imedi" released a video where, they claimed, 18-year-old Saba Jikia intended to stab a police officer with a knife.

It's important to note that the Prosecutor's Office did not include this footage in the case from the beginning, as its absurdity was evident. Despite this, the propaganda television channel "Postv" is spreading an AI-generated illustration for the purpose of manipulating public opinion, showing Saba's character holding a large knife, while in the background, three people are beating a riot police officer who is lying on the ground. The fact that the regime's propaganda relies on invented scenes speaks volumes about this case and the political prisoners involved.

Despite the difficult conditions, Saba maintains optimism. In a letter sent from prison at the end of May, after his supporters filled the courtroom, he wrote:

«Upon entering the courtroom, seeing so many unfamiliar people suddenly confused me. However, seeing the inscriptions 'Saba, I am with you' turned the confusion into pride and gratitude. It's difficult to find words to express the feeling your support evoked in me. Thank you, thank you, thank you for coming to court and for your support. What they are accusing me of is, of course, absurd! Or how big that man they brought in was. I had to defend myself while defending my homeland. It's a shame I had to defend both from a Georgian. Onjghore Re ['It's a shame' in Megrelian]. You truly energized me. I will fight to the end! That means fighting until victory and even after. We had a good laugh»

Saba's friends, Valeri and Gigi, noted in an interview with Netgazeti that they didn't even talk about politics before Saba's arrest, but now they realize:

«Everything is uncertain for young people in the future, and until all of this improves, we will have to fight »

This sentiment clearly shows how such cases push citizens, especially young people, to become more actively involved in civic life.

At the end of every hearing, as Saba is escorted from the courtroom by guards, he turns his head and says to his supporters in a low but firm voice:

«I'll be back soon!»

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It is our duty to make Saba's words a reality.

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