Sozar Subari Presents New Evidence Against Bacho Akhalaia

Sozar Subari Presents New Evidence Against Bacho Akhalaia

Tbilisi, 06.06.06, ‘Media News’ – The Ombudsman Sozar Subari accuses the head of Penitentiary Department Bacho Akhalaia of provoking the prison riot which took place on the 27th of March. At a press conference, held in the Ombudsman’s office today, Subari presented video material of Akhalaia assaulting prisoners and the confession of inmate Platon Mamardashvili to journalists.

Inmate Mamardashvili is one of three prisoners who were involved in phone calls, published by the Ministry of Internal Affairs after the prison riot. The phone conversation was one of the most important pieces of evidence, proving that the riot was pre-planned.

Subari declares that Platon Mamardashvili was cooperating with the prison administration while recording the conversation:

“We found operative information concerning the prison riot yesterday. It is connected with the phone recording, made on the 25th of March, two days before the riot. According to the conversation, inmates Mamardashvili and Zedelashvili demanded prisoner Zurab Vibliani hurt himself and then say that the prison authorities did it.

Yesterday Mamardashvili confessed that he made the call under pressure from the prison authorities themselves. According to Mamardashvili, he met Bacho Akhalaia several times in February, when they planned how to record the conversation. Mamardashvili described Akhalaia’s room in every detail. According to Mamardashvili, Bacho Akhalaia, his Deputy Nukri Khukhua, the former Head of Prison #7 Megis Kardava and two representatives of the Constitutional Security Department, along with two unknown people participated in the meetings.

The planned scenario was changed after Bacho Akhalaia physically assaulted inmate Giorgi Vibliani, who also started a fight with the head of Penitentiary Department. After that, Special Forces lost control and the chaos in the prison hospital moved to the Prison #7. Mamardashvili and Zedelashvili’s cell was isolated from other inmates, thus no one, but the prison administration would be able to take the other inmate, Vibliani, to their cell to discuss the plot. It makes Mamardashvili’s confession quite reliable”, said Sozar Subari.

According to the Ombudsman, the prison administration promised to release Mamardashvili, if he helped them. However, as the plan did not work out, Mamardashvili was accused of organizing the riot and they left him in the prison. That is why Mamardashvili decided to speak the truth.

The Ombudsnman also sent the materials to the General Prosecutor’s Office and demanded a fair investigation.