Web Portal on Human Rights in Georgia

Prosecutor made introductory speech at the trial on Megis Kardava and 12 more accused people in the same case. Most resonance episode in the case refers to the torture of a military officer (Human Rights Center refrains from naming the torture victim due to ethic principles).

Former PM Vano Merabishvili, who is now UNM secretary general, and ex-healthcare minister Zurab Tchiaberashvili, who is now governor of Kakheti region, were arrested on May 21.

Human Rights Center calls upon the government of Georgia and international organizations to get interested in the disappearance of Magamed Magamedov. The latter arrived in Georgia in 2012 from Dagestan and requested political shelter here. He was registered in Georgia as asylum-seeker. In 2013 Magamedov disappeared from Tbilisi and nothing has been known about his whereabouts so far.

15 May Tbilisi City Court did not satisfy the appeal of the Prosecutor’s Office on imprisonment of the First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Gela Khvedelidze.  The accused has been obliged to pay bail of GEL 5000.

May 13 issue of the Rezonansi newspaper relates regarding the ongoing dispute between the journalists of the newspaper and the CEC. The article as well remarks that the DEC of Nadzaladevi district and CEC haven’t granted the application of the journalists. The journalists on their part demand making up of administrative offence protocol regarding the people that had interfered with the correspondents hampering their professional activity and insulted them during the interim elections of April 27.

In order to study Lapankuri Special Operation case Public Defender met with Chechen refugees and representatives of Chechen Diaspora throughout Europe who confirmed the accuracy of information provided in 2012 Parliamentary Report of Public Defender of Georgia.

First Deputy Interior Minister, Gela Khvedelidze, has been arrested and charged with breach of privacy in connection to the case involving leak of a secretly recorded threesome sex video, which purportedly featured a man who has recently been fiercely criticizing some senior officials, including Khvedelidze.