03 June 2019, 19:59
Tbilisi court tightens punishment for defendants accused of killing schoolchildren
Today, the Tbilisi Court of Appeal has increased the sentences to 11 years and 3 months of imprisonment for both defendants accused of killing schoolchildren in Tbilisi, advocates reported. Zaza Saralidze, the father of the murdered schoolboy, called the court's decision fair.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 1, in the case on the murder of schoolchildren, the court sentenced one teenager to 10.5 years of imprisonment, and the second ‑ to 9 years and 9 months of imprisonment.
On December 1, 2017, two Tbilisi teenagers died from stab wounds they got in a fight. Mass protests were provoked by suspicions that investigators could have covered the persons guilty of the murder.
The decision of the Tbilisi Court of Appeal on the appeal against the sentence has been announced today, on June 3. The sentences for both convicted teenagers have been increased to 11 years and 3 months of imprisonment.
The decision of the court states that other people who are at large took part in the murder of the schoolboy, advocate Tarieel Kakabadze reported.
Zaza Saralidze, the father of the murdered schoolboy, treats the decision of the Tbilisi Court of Appeal as a partial restoration of justice, and he intends to continue his struggle for its full restoration, that is, punishment of the guilty persons, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports. "For the first time, I've got a feeling that justice must triumph," said Zaza Saralidze as quoted today by the "Sputnik-Georgia".
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 3, 2019 at 03:35 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: Inna Kukudzhanova, Galina Gotua Source: CK correspondents