Demonstration in Support of Mejvriskhevi Village Attorney

Lado Bichashvili, Shida Kartli

Population of Mejvriskhevi village, Gori district held demonstration in support of Tariel Gurgenidze, former attorney of their territorial entity, in front of the Shida Kartli regional administration. Participants requested annulment of plea-agreement into Tariel Gurgenidze’s case and re-investigation of his case. Mejvriskhevi residents claimed unless the appealed plea-agreement is timely investigated, Tariel Gurgenidze will not be able to participate in the upcoming local self-governmental elections.

“We request to restore our attorney Tariel Gurgenidze to his position. Entire village has arrived here to request his restoration, because he is from our village,” participant of the demonstration Tamaz Berianidze said.

Gori district governor Papuna Koberidze met representatives of the initiative group of the demonstrators. The villagers handed him the petition on the restoration of their village attorney with 900 signatures. Papuna Koberidze clarified that resolution of the problem is beyond his competence.

Papuna Koberidze: “Prosecutor’s office is still studying the case. The population requests to speed up the process but I told them I have neither authority nor any leverage to interfere in the investigation process. However, I promised them to communicate the investigative body and find out when the process will finish.”

Tariel Gurgenidze occupied the position of the attorney of Mejvriskhevi territorial entity at the end of 2012. On June 12, 2013 investigative unit officers of the MIA Regional Department and Financial police arrested Gurgenidze; investigation blames him in bribery. Finally, Gurgenidze signed plea-agreement with the prosecutor’s office and was freed from imprisonment. However, he pledges being non-guilty and appealed the plea-agreement.