Georgian activist faces increased charges in October 4 protest case

Activist Nina Sander, detained after protests on the day of municipal elections, has been charged with inciting the overthrow of the government in addition to organizing group violence and faces up to nine years in prison. There are 64 defendants in the October 4 protest case.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, by October 10 the number of those detained in connection with the violence at the Tbilisi protest had risen to 46. The Georgian Prosecutor's Office then reported that Nana Sander was accused of organizing group violence, while the others were considered participants. By October 11, all 46 detainees had been remanded in custody, two of whom (71-year-old professor and academician, pediatrician Giorgi Chakhunashvili and musician Ia Darakhvelidze) were released on bail. By October 18, the prosecutor's office had charged 16 more people. The total number of defendants in the case of the storming of the presidential palace reached 62.

A process of clarifying the charges is underway against 64 defendants in the case of an attempted seizure of a strategic facility by a group, organizing group violence, and public calls for the violent overthrow of the constitutional order of Georgia or the overthrow of state power during a protest on October 4, the Georgian Prosecutor's Office announced today.

The charges against 63 defendants are being clarified only in terms of the wording and description of their actions, while the classification remains unchanged. The charge against one defendant, Nana Sander, is being clarified in terms of the classification, Interpressnews reports.

Sander was initially charged with "organizing group violence" under Part 1 of Article 225 of the Criminal Code. Now she is also charged with "public calls for violent change of the constitutional order of Georgia or the overthrow of state power" under Article 317 of the Criminal Code. Sander faces up to nine years in prison, NewsGeorgia writes.

Sander's Facebook page* lists her place of residence as Stuttgart, Germany, and her profile information includes the public organization "Pulse of Georgia," which has participated in anti-government protests over the past year.

Sander was in exile, but frequently returned to Tbilisi to participate in protests.

A total of 64 people have been arrested in connection with the October 4 case, the agency notes.

On October 4, municipal elections were held in all municipalities of Georgia. Candidates from the ruling Georgian Dream party were elected mayors in all 64 cities where elections were held, receiving 100% of the vote in 26 of them. These elections will determine the political balance in Georgia for the coming years. The next major elections in the country are scheduled for 2028, so the current vote is essentially crucial for both the government and the opposition, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Municipal Elections in Georgia on October 4, 2025".

The "Caucasian Knot" is posting materials about the past municipal elections and protests by opposition supporters on the thematic page "Georgia: Elections Amid Protests".