Police Raiding Lawyers on Hunger Strike

Aleksi Bezhanishvili

On May 17th, the lawyers started hunger strike in front of the Parliament building. As the lawyer Shalva Xachapuridze stated at the press conference held in front of the Parliament, 20 lawyers went on the hunger strike and they are going to be joined by the lawyers from the regions in several days.

According to Shalva Xachapuridze, they are requesting the lawful environment in the state and the adoption of democratic Election Code.

“We are requesting right to fair trial and the dismissal of the judges Giorgi Chemia and other individuals taking part in this case, investigation of the cases of the killing of young people on the streets and on the deaths of Zurab Zhvania, Giorgi Sanaia, Guram Sharadze, Ramaz Klimiashvili and Badri Patarkatsishvili. According to the US State Department 2010 report, the criminal prosecution should start in order to reveal the high officials taking part in the elite corruption and raise their responsibility,” – stated Khachapuridze.

According to him, the lawyers also request to quit the persecution and imprisonment of innocent lawyers and restore the articles 50 and 55 of the Criminal Code which envisage the independence of judges. The lawyers request to bring Georgian legislation and Constitution in compliance with the European Convention and UN Convention and the release of political prisoners.

According to Khachapuridze, they received permission to hold the action on May 13th for the length of one month. The action will go on until the May 21st and if their request is not rendered before the May 21st the lawyers will join the opposition protest rally.

According to the interpressnews, an incident took place soon after the start of the protest rally. At about 16:30 when the lawyers put out their mattresses in front of the Parliament the officials of patrol police grabbed them.

The palitra.tv has disseminated the video material on this incident. The material shows how the policemen are taking the mattresses to the unknown direction. The video material also shows the head of the Tbilisi Patrol Police Giorgi Gegechkori who is dressed in the striped T-shirt and is giving orders to the policemen.

Despite the seizure of the mattresses, the lawyers continued the hunger strike. Later, they were joined by the relative of one of the prisoners who sewed his lips shot as a form of protest.

While talking with palitra TV Sulkhan Dekanoidze states that his brother Davit Dekanoidze is in severe state in Gldani prison. This was a reason for resorting to the extreme form of protest.
According to Sulkhan Dekanoidze, the health state of his brother is severe, he is invalid and is detained illegally.

According to the mother of Davit Dekanoidze, Nargiza Nebieridze who also joined the action, the prisoner has had several surgeries abroad as a result of the car accident. He is invalid and has health issues.

According to the family members, Davit Dekanoidze has been tried under the offence of passport falsification; however there is no evidence in the case which could confirm this charge.

Another incident took place late at night at the protest rally in front of the Parliament building. As the lawyer Lali Aptsiauri stated, at about 02:30, the lawyers brought thin plaids and some cardboard in front of the Parliament. Approximately 50 policemen seized the plaids. The policemen took other materials out of the cars.

According to Lali Aptsiauri, the protest rally participants saw how the rehearsal of military parade took place at Rustaveli Avenue where the Defense Minister was present. Bacho Akhalaia was a head of the Penitentiary Department in the nearest past and was noted to be aggressive towards the prisoners.

On May 18th in the afternoon the leader of Solidarity to Illegal Prisoners Eka Beselia visited the lawyers on hunger strike. As she stated to the journalists, she came to support those people who are supporting human rights.

„The request for fair judiciary, right to defense, release of imprisoned lawyers who are detained absolutely illegally and the investigation of the cases. I think that these requests really deserve the support and I came to express this support,” – stated Eka Beselia.

She called on the government to act in compliance with the legislation and not to exceed their authority: “I call on the government and especially the police that these days are extremely intense and they should obey and respect the law. They should read the Law on Freedom of Expression once again and the supreme state law - the Constitution - and they will guess that what they are doing exceeds the granted authority.”