**Court Hearing Held Behind Closed Doors**
A court hearing for Giorgi Bachiashvili, a former bank head and accused in a cryptocurrency case, is being held behind closed doors. The Tbilisi City Court decided to partially close the session at the request of prosecutor Mikheil Sadrazde.
The state prosecution team will present evidence from Nato Khaindrava, chair of the Supervisory Board of Cartu Bank, and her former deputy Davit Galuashvili. However, the discussions will be restricted as they involve personal data and commercial secrets.
Bachiashvili’s lawyer, Levan Makharashvili, opposed the decision, arguing that there were no grounds for closing the hearing. He stated that loan amounts and interest rates are already publicly known. Bachiashvili himself also expressed his opposition to the closure of the session.
The judge granted the prosecutor’s motion, citing sensitive issues that may be disclosed during the hearing.
**Background on the Case**
Giorgi Bachiashvili is accused of misappropriating cryptocurrency worth $43 million from investor Bidzina Ivanishvili in 2017. He allegedly kept only $536,900 and handed over the rest to the investor, while unlawfully taking the entire amount. The offense carries a prison sentence of 9 to 12 years.
Bachiashvili denies the charges against him. The court hearing will continue behind closed doors.
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