10 June 2010, 23:50
In Georgia, leader of Orthodox radicals sentenced in absentia
The Tbilisi City Court has satisfied the petition of the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia and sentenced in absentia Malkhaz Gulashvili, President of the media holding "Georgian Times" and leader of the Georgian public organization "National Orthodox Movement", and his son David Gulashvili to two months of pre-trial custody.
Malkhaz Gulashvili and his son David Gulashvili were accused under part 2, Article 344, of the Criminal Code of Georgia ("Illegal crossing of Georgian border in a group"). This article assumes punishment from four to five years in prison.
The verdict was passed in absentia, since neither Malkhaz nor members of his family were present in the courtroom, the "News-Georgia" reports.
Gulashvilis' relatives who live in Tbilisi also refused to come to the trial in protest, the "GHN" reports.
