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Gamsakhurdia and Natelashvili Disappeared

November 9, 2007
 Several opposition leaders disappeared since the November 7 demonstrations. Nobody knows the location of Koko Gamssakhurdia and Shalva Natelashvili.

Davit Usufashvili, leader of the Republic Party, stated that everybody was poisoned after dispersal. Members of his party feel better and are discussing the future plans of their activities. As for the members of other parties, their situation is much vaguer.

Davit Usufashvili: “I do not have information about the location of Gamsakhurdia and two more members of his political party “Tavisupleba.” I do not know whether they are detained or not. We learned from Kakha Dzagania, a member of the Labor Party, that Shalva Natelashvili was sought after by the government yesterday. We do not know where Koko Guntsadze is.”

The Human Rights Center tried to get in touch with the relatives of Gamsakhurdia and found out that one of his relatives cannot get through to his mobile phone since November 7. Nobody knows where he is.

Natia Toidze, press secretary of the Political Movement “Tavisupleba”, said: “Koko Gamsakhurdia was last seen during the dispersal when he was going towards the Sameba cathedral together with his ideological ally Davit Bardavelidze and others. It was 7:00 pm yesterday. Soon I called Bardavelidze and he said they were coming to the office, but as they were late I called them back at about 8:00 pm and their mobile phones were unavailable. Since that time we have not found any of them; we do not know whether they are alive or not. Their family members do not know anything either. Today we appealed to Giga Giorgadze, deputy Public Defender, for help.”

Shalva Natelashvili has already disappeared. Keti Dolidze, spokeswoman of the Labor Party, cannot get in touch with their leader at all. Family members cannot find him either.
Keti Dolidze: “Masked people rushed into our office late last night, broke the door of Natelashvili and searched all his documents. They also broke into his house and seized some documents from there. The same happened in his holiday house in Bazaleti. I last saw Mr. Shalva at about 9:00 pm last night when he left our office.”

The Human Rights Center got in touch with Shota Khizanishvili, head of the Administrative Office within the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He said the Ministry did not have any information about missing politicians. Khizanishvili categorically denied that those people are detained. In addition, he does not know who broke into the office of the Labor Party and the house of its leader.

Koba Davitashvili, about whom various rumors were spread in the city, appeared in Tbilisi at last and held a press conference. He said that seven people attacked him in Eliava Bazar; he was severely beaten and then taken to Gori Hospital.” The brothers Gachechiladzes were also beaten at the demonstration.

The mobile phone of Zviad Dzidziguri, the leader of the Conservative Party, is switched off. The spokeswoman of his party, Lela Mikava, said that she could not get in touch with Dzidziguri either. However, she hoped that based on her information, the politician is well.

As for the political party “Sakartvelos Gza”, the spokeswoman Sofo Jajanashvili said that almost all members of their party have their mobile phones switched off. The leader of the party, Salome Zurabishvili, feels well. The board of the party suspended their activities for fifteen days.

Tea Topuria, Nino Tarkhnishvili, Tbilisi


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