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Kakhetian NGOs demands Criminal Case against Georgian MP Nugzar Abulashvili.

October 15, 2008

The NGOs functioning in Kakheti Region demand that the Office of Prosecutor General of Georgia open a criminal case against Nugzar Abulashvili, single mandate MP from Sighnaghi District immediately.

According to the joint statement of the Club of Kakheti NGOs, Journalists’ Association and Kakheti Regional Office of Human Rights Center there is enough factual and legal evidence for Nugzar Abulashvili to have to face criminal charges. However, the Kakheti District Prosecutor’s Office neglects considering such evidence.

“Nugzar Abulashvili blackmailed the representatives of Sighnaghi local body of self governance, threatened them with detention and using his power to this end. Consequently, they were forced to leave their posts. This information has already been publicized many times. However, no one has reacted to the provided information. Abulashvili provoked Matvey Ramizov, 69 governor of Ulianovka village to take a bribe. As a consequence of this Ramizov was detained in spite of the fact that he was innocent. Ramizov was seriously ill when he was finally released from prison. The journalists on their way to the action scheduled on June 15, 2006 in Sighanghi were raided under an order of Abulashvili. Equipment was taken from the journalists and then broken. Several journalists received bodily injuries.

Despite the many accusations of victims having been assaulted by Abulashvili, he was not declared as a suspect by the investigation. In addition, Sighnaghi Court has been refusing to judge the case against Nugzar Abulashvili for three years now. The court does not allow the assault victims’ representatives to review the case materials. Hundreds of hectares of plots in Sighnaghi District were illegally rented out under Abulashvili’s leadership. However, in the end Abulashvili informed the prosecutor’s office about the criminal he was committing and turned the case in such a way that Berdo Asanishvili, Sighnaghi District Governor and Mamuka Mangoshvili, Asanishvili’s advisor were the ones that were actually detained for his illegal deeds.

Berdo Asanishvili proceeded to testify against Nugzar Abulashvili. However, Tamaz Tsabutashvili, Kakheti Regional Prosecutor did not launch a case against Abulashvili. Nugzar Abulashvili fosters the illegal trade in scrap metal in Sighnaghi. There is a tape with Nugzar Abulashvili instructing people involved in illegal scrap iron business and demanding money from them. Abulashvili also covers his brother Nodar Abulashvili, who killed 19-year-old Zviad Baghashvili several years ago.

Nodar Abulashvili is now working in the general inspection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia,” as reported in the statement of various NGOs.

Nodar Abulashvili states that the accusations are groundless and he refuses to provide any other comments.

Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti

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