Statement of Human Rights Center on Uninvestigated Cases

Human Rights Center is concerned about obscure perspectives of uninvestigated cases at the prosecutor’s office. Investigation into majority of those cases was artificially expanded during previous government for different reasons. Unfortunately, investigators still continue the policy of inactivity in similar cases though representatives of the new government and Chief Prosecutor of Georgia Archil Kbilashvili himself publicly made promise that no case will remain unresolved in the country and citizens will reach justice.

Human Rights Center represents plaintiff Gulnaz Amonishvili in the criminal case #004083170 which has not exceeded the investigation stage for several years already. Tbilisi Prosecutor’s Office is investigating the criminal case launched under Article 117 Part II of the Criminal Code of Georgia – premeditated damage of health of Vasil Amonishvili. The latter was Gulnaz Amonishvili’s son, who was ruthlessly beaten in Moscow Avenue, Tbilisi on June 11, 2008 after what he died in hospital.

The mother claims the quarrel resulted from the argument which started in the family of her son’s friend. The victim of the case said that according to obtained information, Vasil Amonishvili did not allow a citizen [having document of president’s security guard officer] to jump the queue at the office of Civil Registration Agency several months before the accident. Several months later, on June 11, 2008 Vasil Amonishvili accidentally met the same person at a party; the latter recognized him and verbally insulted Amonishvili. Their argument turned into a quarrel which ended with tragedy. The mother and aunt of the dead person claim that brothers Merab and Vazha Berdzenishvilis participated in the accident; one of them was President’s security guard officer and the second was a police officer.

Human Rights Center checked the information and estimated that one of the brothers really worked for the Special State Protection Service of Georgia by October 13, 2009 and was head of subunit there.

The investigation into the accident started on June 11, 2008 but HRC still does not have information about ongoing investigation procedures. Investigation did/could not find the perpetrators in the case. It is still unknown what investigative activities were carried out in the criminal case.

It is fact that the Prosecutor’s Office has refrained from launching criminal prosecution against certain people that might be caused by their professional activities.

Human Rights Center last appealed to the Chief Prosecutor of Georgia Archil Kbilashvili regarding this case on March 20, 2013 and requested to personally control the investigation into the criminal case, to instruct involved prosecutors to properly investigate the case and give relevant instructions to them. Human Rights Center was not informed about concrete procedures taken in response to our petition.

Unfortunately, Vasil Amonishvili’s case is one example of general trend of ineffective approach of the Prosecutor’s Office to uninvestigated cases. The problem might be related with keeping old personnel/investigators in the office, who try to delay the investigation procedures into some cases for certain reasons. 

Considering the aforementioned circumstances, Human Rights Center again calls upon the Chief Prosecutor to personally control investigation into similar cases and to take effective measures to conduct impartial investigation for their timely finalization. 

Human Rights Center