Two found guilty in Sergeant Shavadze’s case

10:28, 13.03.2024

The jury has delivered a guilty verdict for two individuals accused of murdering Roin Shavadze, a brigade sergeant of the Ministry of Defense. The sentenced individuals will serve 12 years in prison.

Ali Baladze, the former deputy head of the Adjara Constitutional Security Department, was found guilty of organizing the illegal arrest and murder of Shavadze, while Mamuka Beridze, a former special forces officer, was found guilty of Shavadze’s illegal arrest and group murder.

This marks the first verdict in the Shavadze case. Two of the 12 defendants chose jurors. The cases of the remaining individuals will be considered by a judge, and some cases are still under preliminary investigation.

Roin Shavadze was killed on August 16, 2008, upon returning from the August war. The initial government claim suggested that Shavadze was attempting to escape and opened fire on special forces, leading to retaliatory shootings. However, the Strasbourg Court in November 2020 ruled that the use of force was unlawful, and Shavadze’s right to life was violated.