Web Portal on Human Rights in Georgia

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.

Witnesses of the prosecutor’s office were questioned at the trial on Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti regional governor Tengiz Gunava. They were questioned about the incident where person was slightly injured. According to investigation unit, Tengiz Gunava and his driver had an argument when Gunava wounded his driver Izoria in the leg with his service gun.

On March 22nd, trials on Giorgi Sibashvili’s case, Kakheti region former deputy governor, started at Telavi district Court. Sibashvili is accused under 5 articles. Investigation unit blames him in the abuse of authority, illegal appropriation of state property and peculation that is punishable by imprisonment up to 11 years.

With the support of the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) information about the amount of money transferred to the state budget via plea-agreements became available for the society.

Unofficial process of exchanging ethnic Ossetian prisoners into Georgian people arrested in Tskhinvali prison has already started. Public Defender Ucha Nanuashvili told Interpresnews about it and added that dozens of cases were observed where ethnic Ossetians were targeted to political persecution in Georgia.

Businessman Tamaz Elizbarashvili alleged that Tbilisi deputy prosecutor Besik Tkhelidze demanded him to pay 6 million lari with regard to the case that was launched in 2010.

Human Rights Center requests the Chief Prosecutor’s Office to study appeal statements of the convicted Mamuka Zarkua and victim Madona Kacharava and start investigation to estimate truth in criminal case.

Family of Kakhurashvili made mortgage agreement on their five-year old child’s property. Later, they decided to sell the house and cover the rest of the loan this way. That is when the family found out that they did not have right to sell the house or make mortgage agreement on it. Kakhurashvilis think that the mortgage agreement was made unlawfully and plan to submit complaint to the court.

At a trial held on March 19th the Defense and Prosecution presented their introductory speeches. Prosecution talked about factual circumstances of case. Defense Side called the accusations absurd. None of the defendants confess the crime.