Web Portal on Human Rights in Georgia

Court proceedings against Zurab Giguashvili, uncle of the former defense minister of Georgia Irakli Okruashvili, were dropped. At the trial on April 16, prosecutor declined its accusation and solicited to withdraw Giguashvili’s case from the court. The judge upheld the solicitation.

Prosecutor questioned one of the main witnesses – former military servant Datuashvili, in Bacho Akhalaia’s case, the former defense and interior minister of Georgia. The witness spoke about the episode where investigation blames Bacho Akhalaia and other accused in torture and inhuman treatment.

According to the defense side statement, testimonies of the witnesses, interrogated at the trial on the case of former Minister of Justice and Education Nika Gvaramia and former Minister of Energy Aleksandre Khetaguri, did not prove their guiltiness. The prosecutor claims those witnesses proved their guiltiness.

On April 12, parties presented their introductory speeches at the trial on Davit Kezerashvili’s case, former defense minister of Georgia. Investigation accuses him of bribery and membership of organized group. The accused does not appear to the court and he is declared sought.

The Constitutional Court upheld the constitutional suit of Human Rights Center about declaring one of arguable provisions in the Article 116 Part VII of the Election Code of Georgia non-constitutional.

When National Movement was in power, Prosecutor Zurab Javakhishvili at the Kakheti regional prosecutor’s office blamed Aleksi Bakhutov in the premeditated murder of Lasha Chopikashvili. Investigation obtained Bakhutov’s confession statement as a result of torture. Telavi district court sentenced Bakhutov to six-year-imprisonment. Three more people were arrested in this case. Later Chopikashvili was found alive but Bakhutov was not released. Prosecutor requested to leave him in prison for one year. After the 2012 Parliamentary Election prosecutor Javakhishvili was promoted.

Bakur Gulua, one of the main witnesses in the case on Tengiz Gunava, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Regional Governor, was questioned at the trial. According to his statement, he personally eye-witnessed the incident, of what Gunava is accused by the prosecutor. Gulua said, he was wounded in the leg but since his back was turned he could not see who had fired. Gulua said having turned back he saw Gunava was holding the firearm.

Witnesses were interrogated at the essential hearing of Bacho Akhalaia’s case. People from the defense side and attendees insulted and threatened them in the courtroom. However, judge did not react on this violation.

There is first motive to question the President of Georgia – Chief Prosecutor of Georgia Archil Kbilashvili stated in the TV-Program Press-Press of the TV-Company Maestro. He said the investigation unit has not yet made any decision with regard to the president’s interrogation though they already have evidence that the president possesses necessary information about some cases.

Today Transparency International Georgia (TI Georgia) lodged a complaint in Tbilisi City Court, seeking the annulment of the order #30 issued by the Finance Minister on January 25, 2013, as well as its subsequent order #4257 of February 6, issued by the Head of the Revenue Department. These orders have led to the restriction of customs procedures for small and medium-sized carriers, allowing Georgian Post to acquire a dominant position.

On March 28, Telavi district court held preliminary hearing of Giorgi Sibashvili’s case, former Kakheti regional deputy governor. Judge Labaza Duishvili did not satisfy solicitation of the accused on dropping criminal prosecution against him and concluded there was not relevant ground of it at this stage. The judge stated that evidence provided by the prosecutor’s side gave enough ground to suspect that Giorgi Sibashvili had really committed illicit actions.

Public Defender, Ucha Nanuashvili, has called on the Parliament to set up an ad hoc investigative commission to look into armed clash in Lopota gorge in late August, 2012 and events leading up to that incident in which eleven militants and three Georgian troops were killed.

On March 29, Tbilisi City Court held essential hearing on Davit Kezerashvili and others’ case. Kezerashvili’s lawyer Gogita Gabaidze protested the protocol of the March 15 trial. He said his solicitation on separating Kezerashvili’s case from others, which was satisfied by the judge, was not recorded in the protocol.