Vladimer Vakhania Made Testimony to the Investigation 10 Months Later

Shorena Kakabadze, Kutaisi

Academician Vladimer Vakhania is accused in interference of professional activities of a journalist and illegal purchase-possession of weapon. Attorneys clarify he is arbitrarily detained political prisoner and consequently, court investigation is illegal. Opposition parties and non-governmental organizations also declare him to be political prisoner. Law enforcement officers detained the Academician on March 17, 2009. On January 15, 2010 he had first chance to make testimony to the court.

“Although it is strange, Vakhania has not had chance to give testimony until now. The investigation was illegal from the very first day. First instance court (I mean Zugdidi district court) blatantly breached the principle of fair trial. Judge Davit Kekenadze found Vakhania guilty groundlessly. Furthermore, according to his order, evidence withdrawn from Vakhania’s house – hand-mines – were destroyed. Nobody has information when and how those hand-mines were exploded without saving even the lock. The automatic-gun, which was presumably discovered by the police together with hand-mines, belonged to the MIA and of course they were sent to the Ministry,” said Vakhania’s attorney Lali Aptsiauri.

Aptsiauri said the government intends to remove Vakhania from political activities and will not surrender before they reach their goal. Nobody cares about the truth which is proved by facts.

On January 15 Vakhania made his first testimony at the Chamber of Criminal Law of the Kutaisi Appeal Court (Judges Marina Siradze, Marina Imerlishvili, Murtaz Kapanadze). The facts, which were initially followed by detention to Vakhania and later by his 4-year-imprisonment, were reported by the accused.

Fact N 1

“On October 12, 2008, having checked in and passed passport control at Tbilisi Airport, special unit officers rushed to me and seized my passport. They grabbed my mobile phone too. Several minutes later, they led me into a room and told me I was spy of Russia. They compelled me to write confession letter about espionage. When I refused they threatened with depriving me citizenship of Georgia from me (I have double citizenship) and with raiding my family. After long argument, they released me several hours later and warned me they would call me and I had to come where they would order to come. There I had to tell everything.”

After that, nobody had called me; however, I permanently received threat calls on my mobile phone. I petitioned to the president of Georgia, minister of internal affairs, prosecutor general of Georgia and requested them to return my documents though in vain. Strange people called me permanently and they threatened with punishment unless I stopped petitioning to various governmental agencies.”

Fact N 2

“Several days after the incident in the airport, my car was crashed in the yard of my residential building in Tbilisi. They grabbed number-plate of my car. Before that, street light went away in the yard and when I went out I could not see anything. It was very dark. We called police and when they arrived, as soon as we opened the door they asked “Who of you is Vakhania?” I correctly remember that when I called the police, I did not mention my name. Thus, everything became clear to me.”

I gave testimonies about the incidents in the airport and at my house to the Tbilisi prosecutor’s office in January of 2009. They said investigation will be launched and later I would also be invited… I have sent 22 letters to various instances but I have not received any reply yet. Finally, one fine day, they arrested me and sent me to prison.”

Fact N 3

“I have never denied and I am not going to deny it now that current situation in Georgia is unacceptable for me. I think, every person has right to have his/her opinion and it cannot be ground for persecution and detention.

You will agree that it is difficult to return to the homeland several years later and be asked: Why are you here and why do you hold double citizenship? They claim I am spy of Russia and do not allow me to say that it is wrong. They have not allowed me to live in my country peacefully. They seized my passports; I have all my rights breached; I have applied to former deputy public defender for help. He tried to calm me down and said I had to endure this situation because half of Georgia is in similar situation.

I decided to establish political party and gained support of my people – residents of Zugdidi in my initiative. However, it did not turn out enough. The Notary, I negotiated with about registration of the party and other procedure, left the country at the last moment.

They did not allow me to establish a party in Zugdidi. Almost every building in the town turned out closed for me. Despite that, we gathered and informed people about our opinion.

In the evening, after the meeting finished, car crashed the car which left my house in Zugdidi (it went to Tbilisi). Later my relatives told me they were stopped in Khobi and asked whether Vladimer Vakhania was sitting in the car. Immediately, my friend called me from the car and said. “I definitely know they will detain you today or tomorrow. They stopped our car and asked your name. Then they asked us to get out of the car in turn and searched everybody.”

It was final incident which really concerned me and I realized something wrong was going to happen with me.”

Fact N 4

“I noticed that on March 12 and 13 one and the same people drove around my house in Zugdidi several times a day. Neighbors also told me about it. On March 15, masked people rushed into my house and ironed me. Then they pushed me down to the floor and saw them beat my relatives in the face who were in my house. Boys were red and cried for help. Masked people called me – spy, we will teach you a good lesson, why did not you run to Abkhazia. I felt bad and asked them to allow me to take medicine. They broke everything and then started to record me. They asked my name in front of the camera. They needed it for PR because they had detained Spy Vakhania in his house armed…”

On that day, my house was not searched; it was ordinary robbery. They threw everything from wardrobes and drawers into bags and took away with them. They destroyed the video-eyes installed in the rooms. Meantime, masked people ran into the house and said hand-mines and automatic gun were discovered in my house and asked me why I needed them. Then they started to search the attic and finally when they led me out in the yard I saw my yard full of masked people. I thought war had started because of the noise. They seized mobile phones and IDs from everybody who was in my house. I saw how Jambul Chikovani and Mindia Makatsaria were tortured who later disappeared from my house.

As it was found out, law enforcement officers detained them for false testimony and are still in prison.”

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Vladimer Vakhania hardly spoke when he was making testimony to the court. However, according to his attorneys, in comparison to previous trials he felt better.

“During one of the previous trials, Vakhania felt bad and asked for water; though he was refused. Davit Kekenadze, judge at Zugdidi District Court, found him guilty when Vakhania was unconscious. On the same day, Vakhania was under influence of some medicines which was proved by his look and color. When he was led into the court room, he was surrounded by masked people in order to prevent his relatives to see his face,” said attorney Lali Aptsiauri.

During testimony Vakhania spoke about interference into professional activities of the journalist. Despite detailed description of the fact, the prosecutor did not ask anything.