Web Portal on Human Rights in Georgia

Former Minister of Justice and Minister of Education Nika Gvaramia and six more defendants in the case refused to let jury hear their case. The prosecution had requested to transfer the case to the jury hearing. But the judge did not satisfy the request.

Netgazeti published Venice Commission Recommendations in relation to covering of Court trials.  The article says that as recommended by Venice Commission the article in the Criminal Code concerning video and audio recording during and live broadcasting from during Court trials is obscure and needs to be perfected.  Parliament of Georgia approved the coinciding changes to the Law on General Courts 6 March.  Recommendations from Venice Commission were publicized 11 March.

Legislative amendments, envisaging, among other issues, reform of High Council of Justice (HCoJ), will bring the law on common courts “closer to European standards” and “represent progress for the independence” of the HCoJ, the Council of Europe’s advisory body for legal affairs, Venice Commission, said.

Brother of former minister of justice of Georgia Zurab Adeishvili was declared internationally wanted. Kakheti regional prosecutor’s office accuses Davit Adeishvili of abuse of authority. Prosecutor Khvicha Begiashvili told ICK that in 2005, when occupying the position of Kakheti region deputy governor, Davit Adeishvili had compelled owners of Telavi agricultural market to give up their assets in the market in favor of Jabrail Khangoshvili.

The Parliament approved with its first hearing on March 7 amendments to the criminal procedure code and criminal code, according to which the rule of consecutive sentencing will be changed and it will also have retroactive force for those convicts, who are currently serving their consecutive sentences.

Media restrictions in courtrooms, imposed more than five years ago, will be lifted after the legislative amendments, approved by the Parliament on March 6 with its third and final hearing with 101 votes, will go into force. 

Bacho Akhalaia, former Minister of Defense and Internal Affairs refused to allow jury to hear his case. Akhalaia is accused of organization of torture, abuse of authority and illegal deprivation of liberty. Other defendants, including former high official of Ministry of Probation Gaga Mkurnaladze and former head of Joint Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces Giorgi Kalandadze made the same decision and refused jury to hear their case. They stated this at the trial held on April 5th.

WASHINGTON - Georgia's justice minister is seeking to reassure U.S. officials that recent arrests of former government officials are not politically motivated.

Judge of City Court Vazha Pukhashvili made decision to close the trial on torture and inhuman treatment of prisoners which means that only the case parties will be allowed to attend the trial.