CASE OF LOBZHANIDZE AND PERADZE v. GEORGIA

FIFTH SECTIONCASE OF LOBZHANIDZE AND PERADZE v. GEORGIA(Applications nos. 21447/11 and 35839/11)  JUDGMENTArt 6 § 1 (criminal) • Fair hearing • Allegedly insufficient reasoning for applicants’ conviction • Explicit reply not required for arguments insufficiently arguable or substantiated as to cast doubt on domestic courts’ findings and the body of evidence availableArt 6 § 1 (criminal) and Art 6 § 3 (c) • Fair hearing • Legal assistance of own choosing • Unmotivated appointment of legal-aid lawyer, rather than the counsel chosen by applicant, without informing the latter • Absence of contact between applicant and legal-aid lawyer during proceedings before the first-instance court • Leave to appeal against in absentia conviction refused on excessively formalistic grounds without addressing applicant’s arguments STRASBOURG27 February 2020FINAL 07/09/2020  This judgment has become final un …