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Father Left His Son Homeless

December 24, 2007

Avtandil Silagadze is seven-grade pupil of the Kutaisi Public School # 44 and because of poor conditions he often misses lessons. Before his parents got divorced father often drank and beat Avtandil and his mother. Finally father sold out the house his son had inherited from his grandmother; he did not even think of buying any alternative shelter for his child.

Having sold the house the family rented a house but the father assaulted his wife and son more frequently. Consequently the mother and the son had to leave the house. Now they are sheltering at their relatives’ and urge the local government for some accommodation.

Maguli Giorgadze, specialist-in-chief of the Kutaisi City Hall’s Culture, Monument Protection, Education and Youth Affairs Department, informed the Human Rights Center’s Kutaisi Office about the situation.

As it was later found out Nino Samanishvili and Zaza Silagadze have been married without official registration since 1994. They lived in the house of Zaza Silagadze’s uncle in Rustaveli Street in Kutaisi. In 2004 Silagadze’s mother died and her grandson Avtandil Silagadze inherited the house. However, it did not prevent his father from selling the house and leaving his family homeless.

“Gogmana Giorgobiani, director of the Public School, informed us about the unbearable living condition of their pupil, Avtandil Silagadze. Afterwards, we investigated the situation and concluded that the child lived under serious harassment. Constant assault from husband has already told on the psychic of Nino Samanishvili and it worsens the conditions of the child even more. In addition to that now they face a problem of homelessness and their situation has been extremely aggravated recently,’ said Maguli Giorgadze in her conversation with the Human Rights Center.

The letter signed by Kakha Koridze, the head of the Kutaisi City Hall’s Accommodation Fund Management and Regulation Department, and addressed to Nino Samanishvili on January 8 2007 stated that Samanishvili is on the list of applicants for the flat and as soon as City Hall has vacant accommodation they will start discussion of her appeal. However, almost one year has passed and it has not happened yet.

Maguli Giorgadze defined that “It is impossible to find out the whereabouts of Zaza Silagadze; however the witnesses claim that several days ago he had met his son and tried to take the boy with him under force. Thus, it is obvious how stressful is the situation for thirteen-year-old boy who is afraid of his father and mother cannot provide him with proper support because of her poor health conditions.”

Maguli Giorgadze mediated to the corresponding service offices within the Kutaisi City Hall and petitioned them to assist to the unprotected mother and son. However, they have not been assisted yet. She hopes that the City Hall will not doom another adult to live in the street and Avtandil Silagadze will soon have a house and minimal living conditions.

Lela Khidasheli, Kutaisi

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