Human Rights Center Requests Remove Top Secret Status from the Cases of Former Political Prisoners Charged for Espionage

On September 12, at 12:30 pm, in the press-club of the news agency PirWeli, Human Rights Center will request remove of the Top Secret status from the cases of former political prisoners, convicted for espionage and launch of new impartial investigation into them. Former political prisoners, as well as photo- reporters, who were arrested in 2011 on political grounds, will also participate in the press-conference.

In January 2013, Parliament of Georgia granted status of political prisoners to people, who were released from prisons under the Amnesty Law.  Among them are people convicted for espionage, who still unsuccessfully urge for rehabilitation and publicity of their case materials.

Human Rights Center believes it is paradox to have people with the status of former political prisoners on the one hand and on the second hand have Top Secret status on their cases.

Human Rights Center believes it is urgently important to review the cases of people, who were convicted on political grounds during previous government and to remove Top Secret status from their cases. In addition to that, there are people, who still do not have the status but their cases were also obvious example of politically motivated persecution.

On December 28, 2012, based on the Article 22 of the Law of Georgia on Amnesty, Vakhtang Maisaya, who was sentenced to imprisonment for espionage, was released from prisoner with the status of political prisoner but his case is still under the Top Secret status. Famous case of photo-reporters is also Top Secret.

On July 14, 2014 Human Rights Center addressed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and requested to remove Top Secret status from Vakhtang Maisaya’s case but the organization has not received reply so far. 

Additionally, Human Rights Center addresses to the MIA to remove Top Secret status from the cases of former political prisoners and also to pay attention to the cases of the people, who might not have the status, but signs of politically motivated persecution were evident.

Human Rights Center calls on the Human Rights Committee at the Parliament of Georgia to take urgent measures for timely and effective rehabilitation of political prisoners. 

Human Rights Center