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Zviad Kushitashvili: “Lives of My Family and Friends Are Under Danger”

September 15, 2011

Eka Lomidze

The head of NGO Georgian Emigrants Zviad Kushitashvili held a special briefing after disappearance for several days. According to him, he was kidnapped from the surrounding territory of the hotel Georgia and was released only on September 9th.

The head of Young Movement of Tetrebi Giorgi Paresishvili, head of the movement Iverielebi Levan Kochloshvili and Zviad Kushitashvili himself talked about his disappearance in the special briefing held in the office of Tetrebi.

On September 3rd, the protest actions were held in six countries of Europe at Georgian Embassies and Consulates. Georgian Emigrants expressed protest over the outcomes of the protest rally disruption on May 26th.

According to Zviad Kushitashvili, the government intimidated by the protest actions started to blackmail him and the representatives of his organization to stop holding protest rallies.

“On September 3rd I was going to Turkey where the protest action was going to be held. I decided to go to the airport by taxi. I asked the taxi to stop at the hotel Georgia. The BMW type car stopped at that moment. Two men in masks went out, one dressed in civil clothing and they put me in their car. They took me to the uncertain direction. I found myself in a room with two men in masks. They asked me why I was dissatisfied with this government. One of them hit me and verbally insulted me. They beat me and tortured me and psychologically pressured me,” – stated Zviad Kushitashvili.

According to the representatives of the political party Tetrebi, the men in masks threatened Kushitashvili to rape his 13-year old daughter if he did not answer their questions. Kushitashvili notes that one of the people in the room was the deputy Minister of Internal Affairs. According to him, on September 9th, four officials of MIA threw him out of the jeep car in the start of the Elbakidze Street.

Kushitashvili published an open letter at the briefing where he addressed the human rights defenders, leaders of political parties, civil society and intellectuals that not only his life, but the lives of his family and friends are endangered.

The head of the organization Solidarity to Illegal prisoners Eka Beselia thinks that disappearance in this form is one of the gravest crimes, especially when the case concerns the possible participation of government representatives.

“In 21st century the kidnapping takes place in our country. Kidnapping and oppressing someone in this form is the gravest crime,” – noted Eka Beselia.

According to the member of Public Assembly Shota Jikia, after holding a protest rally in front of Georgian Consulate in Turkey, he was threatened from the consulate

“I was invited to the Consulate and was called a “Russia’s Agent.” They threatened me that they would create problems for me. Unfortunately, Georgian government is not interested in the situation of Georgians who have migrated from their country. The main thing for them is to suppress any protest of Georgian emigrants who live under severe situation and force us support Nationals,” – stated Shota Jikia.

The representatives of political parties and NGOs agreed at the briefing that they need to inform the diplomatic corpus regarding Kushitashvili case, conduct expertise and submit complaint to the Office of Prosecutor.

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