Paata Burchuladze, leader of the Rustaveli Avenue movement and a defendant in the October 4 case, has criticized ongoing court proceedings, describing them as a ‘tastelessly planned spectacle.’

“Every day I wait for this spectacle, of which I am a participant, to come to an end. It is becoming more serious, and its level of absurdity is increasing,” Burchuladze said during a court hearing.

According to him, the trial has been ongoing for six months, yet the charges against him remain unclear.

“This process has been going on for six months, and I still do not understand what I am being accused of. What exactly are you investigating? Is it the National Assembly or damage to the palace fence? We have the constitutional right to hold a National Assembly, and you cannot accuse me of that. Are you accusing me of organizing a rally?” he said.

Burchuladze also questioned the interpretation of his public statements.

“From my call for a ‘peaceful overthrow,’ do you take the word ‘peaceful’ or ‘overthrow’? If you want to interpret it as a call for violence, then so be it,” he added.

He further stated that the legal process has caused him personal and professional harm, including the suspension of his performances and inability to see his family.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Burchuladze was arrested on October 4 and is charged with calling for a violent change in the constitutional order, as well as organizing and participating in group violence. The charges carry a sentence of up to nine years in prison. The court ordered his pre-trial detention on October 7.