Gurjaani District Court Sentenced Vaja Utiashvili to Three-Year Imprisonment

Lela Khechoshvili, Kakheti

On March 24, Gurjaani district court sentenced Vaja Utiashvili, resident of Gurjaani, to three-year imprisonment. Lawyer of Kakheti office of Human Rights Center Lia Khuroshvili defends rights of the convicted person. Khuroshvili said Vaja Utiashvili is innocent; the judgment is unfair and she will appeal it at the Appeal Court. 

Sister of Utiashvili, Ekaterine Iashvili said Gurjaani police planted drugs on Utiashvili; the Gurjaani district court did not consider the testimonies of the witnesses about this violation.

“My brother is innocent. Gurjaani district police permanently persecuted him and they planted drugs on him this time. I rescued my brother several times when police officers physically abused him. Police officers Rezo Kadagishvili, Giorgi Khizanishvili and Dularidze threatened me too. There is chaos in Gurjaani district police, it must finish once and for ever,” Ekaterine Iashvili told humanrights.ge.

Gurjaani district police officers arrested Vaja Utiashvili on November 15, 2014. Afterwards Utiashvili started hunger-strike and threatened with suicide in Gldani prison. Gurjaani police arrested witness Aleksandre Getiashvili, taxi driver, for controversial testimonies. 

Sister of the convicted person Ekaterine Iashvili said Gurjaani district law enforcement officers sacrificed her innocent brother. According to her, the health of the prisoner is under significant threat because of prison conditions.