People from Both Sukhumi and Samachablo Urge the President to Protect Giorgi Mikiashvili

Giorgi Ashba: “Are you going to torture and kill our sons like Giorgi, Girgvliani etc?”

Last week, representatives of NGOs and journalists from the regions of Georgia drew up urgent appeal to the president. They asked Mikheil Saakashvili to draw his attention to Giorgi Mikiashvili’s case. The appeal was supported from Abkhazia, Samachablo, Russia [Moscow] and so-called Saingilo in Azerbaijan.

On October 29, 2005 patrol police detained twenty-one-year-old student and successful footballer Giorgi Mikiashvili. They severely beat him during the incident. Police continued his physical assaulting in the pretrial detention setting. As a result he had concussion and psychosis. Eventually, his health conditions worsened. At present he is in Rustavi prison #6 and needs immediate psychiatric examination and treatment at a hospital. However, it is still impossible.

Nearly fifty journalists and representatives of various non-governmental organizations as well as ordinary people signed the appeal. Having published it in newspaper, the number of signatures increased. Our colleague Rusudan Nikuradze from Moscow, MP Gia Tortladze   and many others joined us. People expressed their support from Sukhumi, Tskhinvali, Kakhi [Saingilo].

“My friends and I are seriously concerned. Giorgi’s torture made us furious. …There are few people in Sukhumi who really concern about Georgians and Georgia. We cannot express our feelings openly here, since it would cause much trouble for us. My friend Manuchar Jgerenia, Vladimer Metreveli and I Giorgi Ashba are worried and join you.  We are surprised that Georgian president does not have information about Mikiashvili’s case, while we have. Even Russian TV channels have highlighted it. How could Mr. Saakashvili be indifferent to the fact of harassment? We also have children; my son is twenty-three years old. I do not want to imagine myself in the place of Giorgi’s parents. I cannot say what I should have done in this situation. I am not sure whether I would have strength to fight against injustice. I want Abkhazians and Georgians to live together. The president stated the same but do you offer us to live in this situation? Are you going to torture and kill our children like Giorgi, Girgvliani and others? You have sacrificed their lives to certain people’s ambitions. However, we do not experience better life here…”

-We do not torture anyone Mr. Giorgi.

-I do not mean that you torture anyone. But it is real torture when somebody destroys a young man’s mental health. I say once more that we cannot express our real attitude towards the fact. We urge the president to involve the case and pay attention to Giorgi’s fate. We also want you to publish it. We will always watch the case. Please, publish that in Sukhimi there are people who still loves you,” said Giorgi Ashba.

Eliso Tadeeva from Samachablo also urges the president to protect Giorgi Mikiashvili. “I did not vote for him but Misha is my president too. I voted for Sanakoevi, and then I dared to arrive here from Tskhinvali. We knew, we could have some problems but anyway we arrived. We want peace, life without bloodshed and beating. Today I have visited my old friend in Liakhvi Gorge. We watched a program on ‘Imedi’ channel. Then radio also broadcast about the incident. My friend phoned you to join your initiative. We might save Giorgi together. We ask the president the same. We do hope Saakashvili will draw his attention to joint urge of Georgian and Ossetian people,”-said Eliso Tedeeva.

Mariam Gamkharashvili from Kakhi in Saingilo said the following: “On November 23 is St. George’s day. It is going to be a great holiday in Kurmukhi St. George’s church. We have many problems; we cannot meet our relatives and celebrate this holy day with them. But we do not lose hope and believe that the president will draw his attention to us. I want to ask him be more attentive about Giorgi’s case on St. George’s day. God bless you.”

‘We wonder if it is revenge against journalist’s brother to warn others to no expressing their ideas. We urge you to focus on the case. Please, let experts examine Giorgi’s health carefully and carry out subsequent treatment.  Do not sacrifice young man’s life to the ‘dignity’ of police and patrol. You are our president and we really do not want to live in a country where young people are tortured to death,” stated the appeal which was spread several days ago.

Authors of the appeal are about to submit the statement to the president in a few days. On December 10, International Day for Human Rights, journalists are going to express their protest against Giorgi Mikiashvili’s torture with particular manners in Tbilisi and regions.

Gela Mtivlishvili, kakheti