Bloodshed on Religious Grounds

Two weeks ago, an accident between Caucasian Avars in Kvareli district ended with bloodshed. Rivals stabbed each other with axes and daggers and fourteen people were injured finally. Criminal case was launched on the accident under the Articles envisaging attempted murder and hooliganism. Police detained thirty-year-old Shamil Gazimagamedov whom the villagers blame for being leader of armed gang and for having terrorized people. Part of the population in the village of Saruso claims Gazimagamedov was persecuted because he converted into Christianity.  Villagers demand to release him from the prsion.

According to the official information, Shamil Gazimagamedov was detained at the age of 17 for the first time. His father had died short time before his detention. According to the Avar tradition, his mother was to marry her brother-in-law, but Shamil and the widow woman categorically resisted the marriage.

“Shamil had just returned from the pasture, when entering the house he noticed that his uncle was abusing his mother. The mother urged her son for help. The young man demanded the uncle to leave their house; they started argument, which turned into a quarrel and finally Shamil killed the brother of his father. The young man was detained for murder and served his term in prison,” said neighbors of the family.

The villagers added that Gazimagamedov was released from the prison several years later. “There is only one Georgian church in our village. As soon as Shamil returned from the prison he went to the church and lit candles there. I was very surprised with the fact, though we did not inquire anything. Then his wife explained to us that he had converted into Christianity in the prison. Since that time Shamil started visiting of the church, cleaned and looked after the area. He used to leave icons and crosses in the church; however the temple was often robbed and dispersed. Gazimagamedov found out that robbers were the Muslim villagers and argued with them regarding the incident. Although he warned everybody that if the incident occurred once more, he would not forgive us, the church was robbed several times again. We are Muslims, but we do not protest Shamil’s Christianity. As for Magamed Jalilov and his co-thinkers, they acted too offensive,” said Zaira Khalilova, Sakinata Ramazanova and the others in the conversation with the Human Rights Center.

Muslim Avars opposed Christian Avar since Shamil joined the Reservist Army of the Georgian Armed Forces. “I petitioned to the Kvareli district authority to let me join reservist’s army as I was born and grown up in this country and they agreed. It became another reason for my persecution in addition to my Christianity. Before I went to the Reservists Army, people of Magamed Jalilov got in touch with me and warned me against going to the army. They said if I went to the army, other Avars would also be demanded to take military service in Georgia. However, I did not change my mind. In addition to that, Magamed Jalilov, who was the organizer of the previous accident in the village and is declared to be a victim of the accident, fought to gain influence over the village. He was bothered with the fact that the people supported me and it was one of the reasons of our controversy. However, my Christianity is the fact, that mostly irritates Jalilov and his people as well as my good relationship with Georgian population of the Kvareli district,” said Gazimagamedov in his conversation with the Human Rights Center.

People speak about some other reasons for controversy between Jalilov and Gazimagamedov. Diana Gazimagamedova, a resident of the village of Saruso, recalls how Jalilov attacked her at her own house and tried to rape her.

“Last incident happened several weeks before the bloodshed. Jalilov broke into my house and tried to rape me. He said he wanted to marry me; that he had much money and many influential people supported him. Neighbors came to rescue me and finally Jalilov left my house. I appealed to both Gurjaani District and Kakheti Region Prosecutor’s Office; I applied to the Kvareli Police Station and urged them to react on the incident. However, nobody has paid attention to my appeals yet.”

“Several days before the above-mentioned incident, Jalilov attacked another family and tried to rape a young girl there too. He used to state loudly that the village belonged to him and only Shamil prevented him and he claimed he would get rid of him soon. Gazimagamedov is my relative and he warned Jalilov to leave me alone…Jalilov did succeed, provoked Shamil and it resulted into the accident. Today, he is found a victim and innocent Gazimagamedov is in the prison. Jalilov rules and threatens whole village. He does not let us take water from the village spring either and threatens us,” said Diana Gazimagamedova.

At the moment, Shamil Gazimagamedov is sentenced to two-month-pretrial-imprisonment. Police blames him for attempted murder of Jalilov and hooliganism.
Magamed Jalilov denies all accusations against him. Although we asked him to comment on the situation several times, he said that “investigation will find out everything.”

Population of the village of Saruso demands to release Shamil Gazimagamedov. They claim that his rights of free faith are violated and urge human rights organizations for help.

Non-governmental organization, Human Rights Center got interested in the accident. The lawyers for the center said that they have inquired some case materials and it proved that the person was persecuted on religious grounds. “According to the Georgian Constitution every person has right to freedom of expression, dignity, faith and confession. A person must not be persecuted for the above-mentioned traits, unless s/he harasses others rights. In this particular case, Gazimagamedov never suppressed others on religious grounds. We do not claim that he is totally innocent, but the population has exaggerated the accusations against him by stating that Shamil Gazimagamedov was leader of the armed formation. When inquiring the information, we found out that many villagers own registered or unregistered guns in the village and the situation challenges frequent crimes in the district. We think that the police must carry out operation to eradicate the problem in the village,” said representatives of the human rights organization.

Unless Gazimagamedov is released, Avars threaten to hold protest demonstrations.

Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti