the arrested hijackers as well as their friend and confessor orthodox priest theodore chikhladze were tried by the soviet georgian court. the convicts declared that they wanted to "have a better life and live in a free society." shevardnadze described them as "drug addicts" and "bandits", and demanded the death penalty. in august 1984, the three hijackers – kobakhidze and the brothers iverieli – were sentenced to death, while their female co-conspirator tinatin petviashvili received a 14-year jail sentence. despite the lack of evidence, the priest chikhladze was declared a "ringleader" and also sentenced to death. on 3 october 1984, all four men were shot.