Web Portal on Human Rights in Georgia

Several citizens, who met and shook hands with Bidzina Ivanishvili in Chargali village, Dusheti district on July 14, were summoned to Zhinvali police.

“It was Vazhaoba [holiday dedicated to famous Georgian poet Vazha Pshavela] on July 14 and Bidzina Ivanishvili arrived here. I live in Chargali and it was interesting for me to meet him. He shook hands with several people and greeted us. I attended the ceremonies and then returned home. A police officer visited me at home 4 days later and said I was summoned to police. Last week I went there and they asked the reason of my presence at the meeting. People in police uniforms, who did not introduce themselves, talked rudely with me.  They warned me against going to the place where Ivanishvili arrives or I and my son could face problems; we would be arrested and even plea-agreement would not help us to leave prison,” a man from Chargali village told ICMM.

His family members also confirmed information about police officer’s visit in their house and his summoning to police station. 

ICMM got in touch with the Zhinvali police office but nobody commented on the fact there.

Before that, supporters of the coalition Georgian Dream were also summoned to the police, who had participated in the assembly in Mtskheta on July 1. Head of Georgian Dream’s Dusheti district office Dodo Chokheili reported that director of Kvesheti public school Kamila Khevsurishvili threatened coalition supporters to expel their children from school.

ICMM