Former Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has condemned what she called a “shameful decision”, warning that “everyone will pay this price, including those people who are applauding such a shameful decision today”.

Zourabichvili remarked on Tbilisi City Court ruling, sending Mate Devidze behind bars for four years and six months.

Speaking after the court proceedings, Zourabichvili declared: “A country where there are no courts is no longer a state.”

She praised Mate Devidze, saying he had “stood up as a human being today and entered the country’s history”.

“Today is a shameful day for Georgia. In that hall was Georgia’s flag, Georgia’s coat of arms,” Zourabichvili said. “Today is an insult to every person who stands here, or does not stand, every member of society who remains silent.”

The former president noted that Devidze would be remembered as “one of our symbols of dignity”, whilst describing others as “symbols of slavery”.

“They are slaves, I will say this and I will repeat this. This is not a court,” she stated. “I hope we will go to the next stages and the case will also be considered in Strasbourg.”