Lazare Grigoriadis, who was previously convicted in a “Molotov cocktail” case related to the 2023 protests against the foreign agents law, was arrested on new allegations of making a “threat” two years after he left jail through a presidential pardon.
Grigoriadis, 25, was arrested under Article 151 of the Criminal Code, covering threats to life, health, or property, the Interior Ministry confirmed to Civil.ge on April 24. The news of the arrest was first reported by pro-government Imedi TV, which said that “Grigoriadis threatened bar personnel that he would kill them.”
The crime is punishable by a fine, community service, corrective labour, house arrest for six months to two years, or prison sentence of up to one year, or up to three years if committed under aggravating circumstances.
The Georgian Service of the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty cited a family member of Grigoriadis who told the outlet that he was arrested days after arriving in Georgia. The family was reportedly notified about his arrest early on April 24.
Grigoriadis was previously arrested in the wake of March 2023 protests against Georgian Dream’s initial attempt to pass a foreign agents law, on allegations of throwing a Molotov cocktail at a police officer and setting a police car on fire.
He was convicted on both charges in April 2024 and sentenced to nine years in prison, but was released after two weeks following a pardon by then-President Salome Zurabishvili, amid arguments by the defence and supporters that the case was politically motivated and that there was no direct evidence linking the suspect to the alleged acts.
While initially returning to the protest scene following his release, Grigoriadis eventually retreated from public activism.
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