Web Portal on Human Rights in Georgia

Sopiko Nikolashvili’s second lawyer Mamuka Nozadze reported to the ICK that the prosecutor’s office requested Top Secret status for Sopiko Nikolashvili’s case. The lawyer said the prosecutor Bakur Abuladze from the Gurjaani district Prosecutor’s Office got in touch with him and asked to arrive in Gurjaani for “investigation procedures”.

“I asked him why I had to arrive in Gurjaani, while the accused was already in prison and no investigation procedures could be conducted locally. He insisted and promised to clarify everything on the place. I repeatedly asked him to explain everything otherwise I was not going to travel to Gurjaani. He said they decided to make the case Top Secret and I had to sign the document which would oblige me not to speak about case details.”

-Did you agree?

-Of course, I did not. The accused does not hide anything. The case is fabricated for political revenge and what should we hide. Moreover, everybody knows everything. They decided to make the case Top Secret after you published the investigation materials and Sopiko petitioned to the Chief Prosecutor of Georgia to repeatedly interrogate her. Besides that, Sopiko requests to remove the case investigation from Kakheti region law enforcement agencies. She also petitioned to start criminal liability against Gurjaani district deputy chief police officer and investigator under charge of oppression as well as against the so-called victim Giorgi Sibashvili.

-What will happen if the second lawyer accepts their proposal?

-Sopiko’s father has already warned the second lawyer not to sign any agreement on Top Secret status with the prosecutor’s office. Otherwise, the accused will cast the lawyer away because Sopiko is against making the case materials Top Secret.”

ICK got in touch with Gurjaani district prosecutor Gela Lazashvili. “We have not made the case Top Secret. It is not spy case to have similar status. You have incorrect information,” said the prosecutor.

Afterwards, the ICK called the first lawyer of Sopiko Nikolashvili, Maguli Gvaladze.

-Ms. Maguli, did they call you from the prosecutor’s office with regard to Top Secret status of the case materials?

-Yes, they did.

-And what did you decide, did you accept their proposal?

-I have already signed the warning notification. You cannot get any information from me and I do not know what the second lawyer will decide.”

Sopiko Nikolashvili, 20, is a former journalist and daughter of Davit Nikolashvili, oppositionist activist, was accused of illegal carriage of weapon and attempt of premeditated murder of Giorgi Sibashvili, 23. Gurjaani district MIA office detained her on January 31, 2012. District court imposed pre-trial imprisonment on her. The accused is placed in Rustavi prison.

Giorgi Sibashvili is inspector-investigator at the Kakheti regional office of the MIA; his father Gocha Sibashvili is deputy chief police officer of Gurjaani district; his uncle Giorgi Sibashvili is Kekheti region deputy governor. Gujaani district police is investigating Sopiko Nikolashvili’s case.