Teacher Kidnapped During President’s Visit in Melaani

Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti

On September 26, President of Georgia opened a new school building in Melaani village, Gurjaani district. Then he met local citizens in the school yard. Former teacher of Chalaubani public school Lamzira Korchishvili, 53, was one of those who wanted to hand in a letter to the president. However, people in civil clothes kidnapped him from the school-yard.

-Where did you work?

-I was manager of the educational part of the school and was a teacher at primary school.

-Which school did you work at?

-At Chalaubani Public School.

-Did they fire you from school?

-Yes, they did.

-Why?

-I do not know the reason; for no reasons!

-Did you appeal against it?

-Yes I did. I had filed complaint to the president’s administration and wanted to meet him. I learned they were opening Melaani public school and President was going to visit it. So, I decided to meet him there and tell the truth. However, as soon as they noticed me standing among the people, they dragged me out of the yard.

-Who dragged you?

-A man approached me and ordered to immediately leave the area (she is crying). I asked what I was doing wrong. But he said he would forcibly take me out of the area; at that moment two young men attacked me and dragged me out.

-Were they dragging you long distance?

-About 500 meters. Then a car came up. I did not want to sit in the car but they pushed me into it (she is crying).

-What sort of car was it?

-It was a silver car…

-Did you recognize the people who kidnapped you?

-No, they were strangers. I was urging them to leave me alone; I did not want to meet president any longer. They hit my head against the car glass; they told each other to put me into the car. I urged them I did not want to sit in their car; I told them I had changed my mind about meeting the president and decided to see him some other time. I asked them to leave me alone. But they pushed me into the car forcibly hitting my head against the car glass. I wanted to jump out but they locked the door. I told them I wanted to die because of injustice. I could not find justice in this country and wanted to kill myself. I fainted and later recovered in Kachreti hospital; though I do not know how I was brought there.

-What happened in the hospital?

-They told the doctors they had found me fainted in the street. They did not show their passports saying they were not locals. They just said they were sorry for me and brought me to hospital. Then, when I recovered, I was asked what had happened and of course I told the truth. A lot of people saw me being dragged out of the school-yard.

-Did anybody help you?

-Nobody did. Who could help me; everybody knew it was useless. Later, people came to my house and apologized for not having assisted me; they said they could not resist them (she is crying).

-Will you be able to recognize the kidnappers?

-Of course I will. I can recognize the car too.

-Was the investigation launched?

-An investigator came - Khatuna Shavliashvili, from Kachreti. She promised to find the car… I told her they should find the driver too. I inquired why they had not brought an expert to examine my injuries. But she told me an expert will not come unless the police summons him/her. So, they will bring an expert if the chief police officer decides it. I guess, the expert will come when my injuries cure. I called them yesterday and asked about the expert but nobody has come yet.

A neurologist examined me in Gurjaani hospital and diagnosed brain concussion. He suggested me to stay in hospital to observe my health conditions; if they worsen then they will call paramedics from Tbilisi and take me to Tbilisi Neuro-Surgery Institute. I did not agree to stay in hospital; so they made me sign notification letter that I went home based on my own decision.

-Did you apply to anybody? like district governor or regional governor? Giorgi Gviniashvili, regional governor comes from your village and have not you applied to him?

-No, I did not apply to him. I asked the investigator whether Gviniashvili knew about the incident and she did not say anything; so, I thought he knew.

The teacher has various injuries on the body. According to the doctor’s conclusion, she has brain concussion and should stay in bed. The woman is taking medical treatment at home because of lack of money.

We conversed with the doctor of Kachreti district emergency medical service Tamar Japaridze. She was on duty at the medical center on September 26 when fainted Lamzira Korchishvili was delivered there. “She was unconscious at the moment of delivery; she could not contact us. She had cramp as a result of hysteria and could not breathe well. As a result of initial medical assistance she contacted us. The people, who brought her to the clinic, did not introduce themselves. They told us they had found the woman on the road. I do not remember the car state number,” said the doctor.

Kakheti regional governor Giorgi Gviniashvili categorically excludes the fact of kidnapping any person from the yard of Melaani public school during President’s visit. “It is absurd. Similar incident did not happen there,” said the governor.

The Information Center of Kakheti found out that on September 26, during president’s visit in Melaani, the former teacher Lamzira Korchishvili was kidnapped by Levan Bitskinashvili’s car, chief police officer of Gurjaani district.

According to the ICK, silver Mercedes, with state number GEG – 020 belongs to the Gurjaani district office of the MIA. Currently, the car is standing in the yard of the Gurjaani police office. The police do not comment on the fact.