Professor at the Tskhinvali University Is Persecuted Because of His Statements

Kakha Toliashvili, associated professor for the Tskhinvali State University, is punished because of his article published in local newspaper. University Administration made an administrative resolution to fire Kakha Toliashvili from the University. The professor is accused for having insulted the reforms going on at the university.

Professor Toliashvili’s problems originated from his interview published in the # 33 issue of the local newspaper “Trialeti” in December of 2006. “…He has been member of the commission for entrance exams (he spoke about current rector of the University Zaza Tsotniashvili) and earned much money. Both brothers, Zaza and Soso Tsotniashvilis were involved in corruption. They got advantage of the weakness of former rector Akhalia and acted impudently. Now they run the university and sacrifice it to their ambitions. They are wasting money apportioned for the reform. For example, in order to establish computer center at the university the rector paid quite large money to the author of the idea. The lecturers consider it to be a serious machination, because we cannot earn as much money for two years as that person earned for his humble idea,” said Kakha Toliashvili in December of 2006.

That time interim Rector Zaza Tsotniashvili passed resolution on the interview and sent to the Ethic Commission for thorough discussion. The commission concluded that Toliashvili insulted the reform going on at the university. On the basis of the conclusion Toliashvili was fired from the University.

It must be pointed out that the previous issue of the same newspaper revealed the comments of the interim rector. Tsotniashvili said that having been appointed as a rector, he discovered the university was deep in the swamp.

In the next issue Toliashvili replied to the interim rector and sent his statements to the Ethic Commission for discussion. The commission concluded that the interim rector had used quotation in his estimation of the situation at the university and they did not consider his words insulted them. 

Professor Toliashvili appealed against the resolution on his firing at the Court. On May 11 2007 the court decided that the rector had made rights decision. The justice also concluded that Ethic Commission was biased and ordered the members of the commission to discuss Toliashvili’s statement once more. As for the rector he should have passed right administrative individual resolution. 

The Ethic Commission of the University held new meeting.

Kakha Toliashvili: “I enjoyed my constitutional right that is envisaged under the Article 19. Every person has right to the freedom of expression. I stated that reforms were not carried out at the university. In addition to that the funds apportioned for the reform were wasted. Mmanagement bodies were not elected at the university. I was demanding detailed information for six months in vain. I wondered why they funded the project on establishment computer center instead of my project introduced to the University administration. Only six months later they informed me that they had not paid money to the author of the project for computer center. I was against establishment of the center at the university because there were enough computers switched to the internet at the university.”

The Ethic Commission held similar meeting; they did not invite the journalist who had published those articles and demanded neither oral nor written explanation of the situation from the journalist. Professor Toliashvili claimed that the journalist had interpreted his interview in the article. The discussion found out that there was a audio record of the interview.

Rector Zaza Tsotniashvili refused to make comments regarding the situation. He said he is waiting for the conclusion of the Ethic Commission in order to make final decision. He does not cast doubt over the competence of the commission.

Saba Tsitsikashvili, Gori