Categories
Journalistic Survey
Articles
Reportage
Analitic
Photo Reportage
Exclusive
Interview
Foreign Media about Georgia
Editorial
Position
Reader's opinion
Blog
Themes
Children's Rights
Women's Rights
Justice
Refugees/IDPs
Minorities
Media
Army
Health
Corruption
Elections
Education
Penitentiary
Religion
Others

Suspect in Pre-Trial Detention Goes on Hunger Strike in His Cell at Gurjaani Police Station

May 31, 2006

Suspect in Pre-Trial Detention Goes on Hunger Strike in His Cell at Gurjaani Police Station

Officers of the Criminal Police at the Gurgaani Police Department within the Ministry of Internal Affairs, detained Dimidtri Jokhadze, aged 29.  Jokhadze, an inhabitant of the village of Chandari in the Gurjaani region, was arrested after complaints from Gela Zakalashvili and Gia Zakalashvili, both Directors of the ‘Chandari Gvino Karkhana’ (Chandari Wine Factory) joint-stock company. The pair accused Dimitri Jokhadze of blackmailing them.

Dimitri Jokhadze contacted the Human Rights Information and Documentation Center with an application on March 9th 2006, in which he states that he had a serious disagreement with the brothers - Gia and Gela Zakalashvili. “I had a serious disagreement with them; Gia Zakalashvili threatened that they would make the police detain me for possessing drugs that they would plant on me themselves, if I kept on supporting Gia Purtseladze - who is one of the stockholders of the company and my best friend. Gia has for years been harassed by the brothers at the company.  Although some incidents occurred in my past, I have not got anything to do with drugs anymore. In case their threat is carried out, I ask you to protect me”, stated Dimitri Jokhadze in his application.

Currently, the detainee is using his right to silence. He is holding his hunger strike as a means of protest and asks the Public Defender to assist him. Advocates with the Human Rights Information and Documentation Center and the Young Lawyers Association protect him. The Human Rights Information and Documentation Center condemns the injustice and calls upon the corresponding bodies to respond to the case.

Gela Mtivlishvili

News