Address of Human Rights Center about the Criminal Case of Lifelong Prisoner

Human Rights Center appeals the Chief Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia to timely hand over the criminal case to the Tbilisi Appellate Court, in which new circumstances were discovered with regard to the charge brought against the lifelong convict Teimuraz (Bacho) Sharashenidze.

In 2009 Teimuraz Sharashenidze was charged for the murder of Zurab Zubadalashvili and was sentenced to life imprisonment. He serves his term in the penitentiary establishment N8.

Based on the petition of HRC, in 2013 the Chief Prosecutor’s Office renewed the investigation into the case, in the frame of which new significant circumstances were identified, which raised questions about the legitimacy of the imposed charge. Namely, the witnesses stated that in 2009, prosecutors oppressed them and tried to get testimonies against Teimuraz Sharashenidze through illegal methods. In the frame of the new investigation, ballistic expertise was conducted, which concluded that the bullets found in the body of the deceased person could not be shot from the Makarov system gun that was basis for the guilty judgment against Sharashenidze. 

Regardless the new investigation conducted by the prosecutor’s office and obtained evidence in the course of re-investigation, the prosecutor’s office has not yet appealed the Tbilisi Appellate Court.

Since November 2018, Teimuraz Sharashenidze has been protesting the dragged out process with the ultimate form of protest – dry hunger-strike that significantly damaged his health. It is noteworthy that during imprisonment, Sharashenidze got sick with grave diseases for what his health conditions are aggravating every day. He stopped hunger strike upon the request of Human Rights Center and with the hope that soon his case will be solved.

Human Rights Center appeals the Chief Prosecutor’s Office to ensure timely hand over of Teimuraz Sharashenidze’s case to the Tbilisi Appellate Court to determine whether the guilty verdict was fairly and impartially passed against him. 

Human Rights Center