Promoted Senior Officials Who Participated in the Investigation of Political Prisoners’ Cases

Natia Gogolashvili

On February 10, nongovernmental organizations Human Rights Center, Article 42 of the Constitution and Public Defender held press-conference. The NGOs expressed concern about the promotion of those officials in the Defense and Interior Ministries, who participated in the investigation of criminal cases against former political prisoners and other politically motivated cases in the past.

Nino Elbakidze, executive director of the Article 42 of the Constitution: “We are speaking about the people who were more or less connected with the investigation of the criminal cases of former political prisoners and politically motivated cases. It is known that these cases were investigated with concrete violations; both accused people and witnesses made testimonies under oppression. Besides that, these people were tortured and inhumanly treated. We protest appointment of these people on senior positions. It shows that these people are still encouraged that is very negative fact according to our evaluation.”

Aleko Tskitishvili (executive director of Human Rights Center): “We have information about several people, who were promoted in both Defense and Interior Ministries of Georgia. For example, Robert Grigalashvili is deputy head of military police at the Ministry of Defense and according to our information he was connected with the so-called “spy case” when he worked for the Counter-Intelligence Department.”

Irina Putkaradze (Public Advocacy, chairwoman): “Cases of these people must be studied. The following questions must be answered: what did they do wrong? Did they participate in criminal activities? Did they oppress people? Did they torture people? We address the prosecutor’s office with these questions and request to study past professional activities of these people.”

Former political prisoners said the Georgian population has right to know truth about the crimes committed by senior governmental officials in the recent history of the country.  

“Valeri Zumbadze was head of the so-called special operation when I was arrested. On March 28, 2006 they broke into my working room and arrested me based on the false accusation – espionage. I want Mr. Valeri to publicly deny that he is not in the video-recording of my arrest or let him confess who ordered to arrest me and why,” former political prisoner Simon Kiladze said. 

“We request to review these falsified cases, to remove Top- Secret status from them and to punish those people under the law, who participated in the investigation of our cases. We also request punishment of those people, who have instructions to them,” former political prisoner Vakhtang Maisaia said.

Former political prisoners addressed to the Prime Minister, Defense Minister, Minister of Interior, Chief Prosecutor, Public Defender, nongovernmental and media organizations and named concrete senior officials, who personally participated in their arrest operations. They said these senior officials are: Valerian Zumbadze, Vladimer Datashvili, Otar Orjonikidze, Archil Gvadibadze, Colonel Sadateirashvili, Giorgi Mazmishvili, Mikheil Berekashvili, Zviad Esebua and Davit Devnozashvili. According to former political prisoners, these people acted in accordance to the instructions of Mikheil Saakashvili, Vano Merabishvili, Amiran Meskheli and Zurab Adeishvili. 

On February 10, deputy head of the General Inspection at the Defense Ministry Valeri Zumbadze resigned from the position; he made special statement about it: 

“Groundless accusations have been imposed on me lately and dirty smear campaign is led against me. In order not to damage the reputation of the Defense Ministry of Georgia, I decided to resign. I am ready to respond to all questions within legal procedural frames. I want to add that I intend to bring lawsuit against the authors of slander statements at the court,” the statement reads. 

NGOs call on the Parliament of Georgia to reinforce parliamentary control over the investigation of similar cases and ongoing personnel policy in state institutions.