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Human Rights Center Again Petitions to the Chief Prosecutor’s Office to Interrogate Teimuraz Gvaradze into Zurab Zhvania’s Case

February 4, 2015
Human Rights Center again petitioned to the Chief Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia to interrogate the convict Teimuraz Gvaradze in the presence of his lawyer; the convict claims he was sniper, member of the security guard of the ex-president Saakashvili and has significant information about the death of the late Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania as well as about the so-called Lapankuri special operation of 2012.

Human Rights Center petitioned to the Chief Prosecutor’s Office with the same request several times officially, publicly and during press-conferences. On April 8, 2014 Human Rights Center disclosed the letter of the prisoner to media.  In October 2014, during the press-conference the organization representatives announced the request of the convict to be interrogated in relation with the death case of Zurab Zhvania. 

From the very beginning, Human Rights Center requested the Chief Prosecutor’s Office to question Gvaradze in presence of his lawyer, to check the facts and circumstances the convicted person was speaking about and to guarantee his security as a witness under risk. Despite many petitions of Human Rights Center, the Chief Prosecutor’s Office refused to interrogate Teimuraz Gvaradze in presence of his lawyer.

The prisoner told the lawyer of Human Rights Center that he is a professional sniper and that he was member of the secret division created by Zurab Zhvania and Gia Arsenishvili. Since 2004 he was body guard of the President Mikheil Saakashvili.

Teimuraz Gvaradze said that in 2012 during imprisonment three persons visited him in prison and asked him to take part in the special operation, namely to liquidate terrorists during exchange of gunfire. After the special operation Gvaradze was taken back to the penitentiary establishment. Teimuraz Gvaradze claims he personally observed ongoing Lapankuri special operation and as a witness can give significant information to the investigation. 

On November 15, 2012 Teimuraz Gravadze was released from imprisonment. He said after release he was under permanent oppression because he had significant information and was serious threat for certain people. In May 2013, Teimuraz Gvaradze was repeatedly arrested for thievery and as he claims he was tortured to get his confession statement. Tbilisi City Court sentenced him to five-year-imprisonment under Article 177 of the Criminal Code of Georgia.

Necessity of Teimuraz Gvaradze’s interrogation was once again confirmed when on February 2, 2015, during the discussion of the case into Zurab Zhvania’s murder, Judge Davit Mgeliashvili read the letter of the prisoner, where he claims “Zurab Zhvania and Usupov were killed in Kakheti, the incident was witnessed by 11 person and three of them are now ministers.” 

Human Rights Center 

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