Office of Prosecutor Refuses to Start Investigation on Facts of Persecution of Protest Rally Participants

Gurjaani Regional Office of Prosecutor did not satisfy the complaint of Human Rights Center which requested the criminal case to be filed on the fact of fining drivers who participated in the protest rally held on May 9th.

“According to the information obtained from the Kakheti Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Patrol Police Department, on May 11th of 2011, in the village Chalaubani of Gurjaani region Misha Tsankashvili drove the vehicle in insober state. Due to this fact, he was deprived of his car and fined by the first part of article 116 of Georgian Criminal Code; Dato Lazashvili drove his automobile without the relevant license category. As for the automobile under Giorgi Varamashvili’s control, information on it was not obtained, thus the car was transferred to the parking lot of penalty. After the inspection, the automobile was given to the owner. Considering all the abovementioned, there are no signs of crime in the conduct of Kakheti Agency officials of Patrol Police Department. Thus there is no basis for starting the investigation,” – notes the prosecutor of regional Prosecutor’s Office Tinatin Zubashvili.

The officials of Kakheti Agency of Patrol Police, in the evening of May 10th  deprived the drivers Giorgi Varamashvili, Dato Lazashvili and Misha Tsankashvili of their mini-buses. The drivers were transporting through Tbilisi-Gurjaani when the law-enforcement officials stopped them in the village Chalaubani, took the passengers down and transported the car to the parking lot of penalty without explaining the reason.

According to the drivers, the patrol police officials did not present themselves. Neither they composed the protocol. It should be noted that these three drivers were ensuring the transportation of people to Kakheti regions on May 9th by the order of Georgian Party.

Kakheti Information Center