Human Rights Center Requests to Compensate Damage of Davit Sokolov He Received During 1990s Civil War

On April 15, at 12:30 Human Rights Center held a press-conference about the case of famous TV-anchor Davit Sokolov. The Center requests to reimburse his damage, which he received during the 1991-92 Civil War.

During the civil war of December 1991 and January 1992 hundreds of Georgian citizens received significant material damage. As a result of military operations many families lost houses and stayed in the street. One of them was family of the famous TV-anchor Davit Sokolov, who presented main news program on Public Broadcasting for many years.

Public Commission for the implementation of the state program for rehabilitation of Tbilisi residents victimized during 1991-1992 Civil War ruled to compensate the material damage of Davit Sokolov’s family with 81 656 USD equivalent in GEL. The Sokolovs had to receive four-room apartment with the value of 64 800 GEL (47 998, 7 USD) and the rest compensation sum (25 790 USD) in cash. 

Based on the August 4 1998 resolution two members of Davit Sokolov’s family (himself and his wife) had to receive an apartment 84,2/135 sq. meters in the residential building in Kipshidze Street, Tbilisi 3rd entrance, 6th floor instead the compensation sum of 64 800 GEL. 

Based on the President’s Decree # 668 issued on October 2, 2009 an agreement was signed with Ltd Amirani, which took responsibility to finish construction of the building before November 16, 2011. However, the Company did not implement its obligations and the agreement between the Tbilisi City Hall and Amirani Ltd was ceased.

On February 2, 2016 legal service of the Tbilisi City Hall sent letter to Davit Sokolov to notify about May 30, 2011 resolution of the Tbilisi Government, according to which a special commission was established to study the cases of Tbilisi residents victimized during 1991-92 civil war. The commission had studied the legality of the notifications issued by the previous public commission about the amount of compensations for each family and annulled the notifications. 

Although the notifications on the amount of damage were annulled in 2011 the victimized families in Tbilisi were not informed about it, Davit Sokolov’s family among them. Furthermore, based on August 13, 2014 Decree # 6 of the Vake district governor Davit Sokolov received an ownership notice # 21 on the apartment which does not exist yet.

Human Rights Center appealed the Court with regard to this case and requested to annul the May 31, 2011 protocol of the commission session, which discussed the cases of Tbilisi residents victimized during 1991-92 civil wars and to compensate the damage of Davit Sokolov’s family.

Human Rights Center