Luiza Meskhia, Beaten in her Cabinet Seeks for Justice.

Luiza Meskhia, Beaten in her Cabinet Seeks for Justice.

On the 28th of June, in Rukhi, Zugdidi region village, fifteen local inhabitants blamed Luisa Meskhia, head of Cooperative “Rukhi”, for  illegal alienation of village plots, after what three of them, Shino Farcvania, Zaira Katalandze and Leila Todua physically assaulted her and deprived her of cooperative seal and other personal things.

Luiza Meskhia, head of cooperative “Rukhi”, beaten by three country people, calls the incident a provocation and says that this and other provocations against her were supported by Besik Todua, head of village board. “Those three women, who assaulted physically and called me land-seller that day, are law offenders themselves. Since 2001 they have captured, rooted out and illegally appropriated tea plantations. All three women have criminal connection with present head of Rukhi village board, Besik Todua, who has been trying to bankrupt our cooperative and to appropriate its property since 1995.”

Luiza Meskhia declares that, she had been made resign for years through pressure and assault by the heads of regional and district administrations: “They have arranged a car crash against me too, but I survived. They tried to prove my appropriating the plot at the court, but could not manage it. Moreover, the head of the board was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment himself for introducing false documents to the court. That is why he tries to discredit me.”

The traces of physical assault are obviously seen on her face and hands. She supposes that, rivals would not detain from her physical annihilation and declares that they have already prepared suitable base for it by transmitting the TV program.  “The women began to beat me when “Rustavi2” journalist entered the room with switched-on camera. I am not going to give in. Simply I want you to know, that I would win this trial as well, I am right, but I am afraid of being killed. Drug-addicts and people flayers fight against me. They don’t care about a person’s life. And I am one simple woman”.

Luiza Meskhia declares that head of village board and his co-thinkers have been trying their best to bankrupt and capture the cooperative property for years. She asks for help and support to all human rights defending organizations and structures.

Besik Todua, head of Rukhi village board categorically denies his participation in the elaborated opposition and declares that, he is interested in solution the problem from the standpoint of the head of the board. “Population is almost right; cooperative has leased the plot for a long time. They have not paid taxes to local budget for a long time, arrears is more than 200 thousand GEL, their lease on tea plantations is abolished and they can not privatize them.

Maia Ghubeladze, Zugdidi.