Address by the Human Rights Center about Legal Rehabilitation and Restoration of Reputation for Former Political Prisoners

Bank accounts of the former political prisoner Zviad Kharebava are still blocked. Although Kharebava was released from prison under the status of political prisoner, his fine of 50 000 lari was not yet canceled. Nevertheless, Zviad Kharebava received political prisoner’s status based on the arbitrary judgment which imposed the aforementioned sanction on him in addition to imprisonment. 

Human Rights Center is concerned with the fact and believes that when a state grants status of political prisoner to a person, the government shall also ensure his/her legal rehabilitation and compensate illegal damage instead execution of arbitrary fine. 

Based on September 1, 2010 judgment of the Criminal Case Collegium at the Tbilisi City Court Zviad Kharebava was sentenced to 17-year-imprisonment. In addition to that, he was fined with 50 000 lari and was deprived from the right to conduct entrepreneur activities for next three years.

Based on the December 5, 2012 resolution of the Parliament of Georgia, Zviad Kharebava received status of political prisoner. On January 13, 2013 Kharebava left prison as a political prisoner based on the Article 22 of the Georgian Amnesty Law of December 28, 2012. However, his additional sanction – 50 000 lari was not removed.

With regard to the additional sanction, execution notification was issued on June 28, 2011and on March 28, 2014 Zviad Kharebava’s bank accounts were blocked. As a result, he faces threat of losing job.

Human Rights Center petitioned to the Parliament of Georgia and requested to suspend the execution process into Zviad Kharebava’s case. The Parliament, instead starting work on the introduction of relevant amendments to the law, which could ensure legal rehabilitation of former political prisoners, petitioned to the National Enforcement Bureau of the Ministry of Justice to suspend the execution into the particular case. It is also noteworthy that even this particular petition of the Parliament was not responded either. 

Human Rights Center believes that for full legal rehabilitation of political prisoners and victims of political persecutions Parliament shall establish effective legal mechanism within reasonable timeframe, which will ensure restoration of not only honor and reputation of the people but will also compensate their illegal damage incurred by the state. 

Human Rights Center