Roin Shavadze’s Lawyer Studied Case Materials Four Years Later

Maka Malakmadze, Adjara

Lawyer Ramin Papidze managed to study case materials on the murder of military sergeant Roin Shavadze, killed on August 16, 2008. He spoke about new details in the case.

Lawyer Papidze said operative officers confessed in their testimonies that Roin Shavadze had ran away during transportation and they were ordered to kill him after Shavadze resisted arrest. Papidze doubts the testimonies and calls upon people, who were blamed in the murder of Shavadze, to cooperate with the investigation.

“I would like to appeal to the operative officers of the Operative Department of Adjara, whose names were mentioned in the case and who illegally restricted Roin Shavadze’s freedom. They abused their power and killed Roin Shavadze with extreme brutality. Unless they cooperate with the investigation, we will request to impose the ultimate punishment on them,” lawyer Ramin Papidze said.

According to official version, Constitutional Security Department arrested Roin Sahvadze for illegal purchase-storage of narcotics. The criminal case was launched against him under Article 260 of the Criminal Code of Georgia.

Papidze spoke about gaps in the case materials. “It alleges that Shavadze managed to run to Kakuti village in the Kobuleti district and riot police officers had to open fire against him. Law enforcement officers will try to reinforce this allegation by evidence but there are a lot of errors in the case that prove the opposite. For example, before death Shavadze had received numerous injuries; some bones were also broken so he could not have ran away.”

A sergeant from Batumi, Roin Shavadze fought in the Tskhinvali conflict in August of 2008 in the 23rd battalion. Riot police officers arrested him in Zviad Gamsakhurdia Street in Batumi on August 16, 2008. Witnesses said twenty armed and masked people attacked Shavadze in the street, pushed him down to the ground and ruthlessly beat him.

The previous government did not recognize the family of Roin Shavadze as victims. Additionally, Papidze was not allowed to take part in the investigation process.

Human rights defenders still do not know the real motive of his brutal beating and murder.