Lawyer Cannot Meet Akhalgori Detained Jaba Beridze

Ossetian human rights defender Lira Tskhovrebova will get interested in the detention of Akhalgori district resident Jaba Beridze. Tskhovrebova told ICMM that at the moment she is attending Georgian-Ossetian Meeting in Istanbul organized by George Mason Institute. As soon as she arrives in Tskhinvali, she will find out real reasons of Beridze’s detention.

Ossetian de-facto law enforcement officers arrested Jaba Beridze on Saturday. His daughter Khatia Beridze told ICMM that lawyer has not been allowed to meet the detainee so far.

Representatives of the de-facto prosecutor’s office said Jaba Beridze was detained because of crime committed in 1991 when he insulted dignity of another citizen.

Khatia Beridze alleges her father became victim of personal revenge. According to her, in 1990s their family purchased a house of Ilo Chigoev in Akhalgori. After the war in 2008 Ilo Chigoev’s sons – Merab and Vazha Chigoevs sued the Beridze at the de-facto court and requested to return their house. They allege the Beridzes have misappropriated the house.

Khatia Beridze said Tskhnivali courts passed all judgments in favor of their family.

After the de-facto presidential elections finished in Tskhinvali and Leonid Tibilov won it, Merab Chigoev was appointed to the position of the de-facto prosecutor general. Khatia Beridze said her father was arrested under instruction of Merab Chigoev and “Jaba Beridze is Chigoev’s hostage.”

The Beridzes also petitioned to law enforcement institutions of Georgia for help.

Officials of the South Ossetia’s de-facto government allege Merab Chigoev is not involved in Beridze’s detention and real reason of his arrest will be published in near future.

Mari Otarashvili, ICMM, Akhalgori