Opposition Parties Signed Urgent Appeal at the Public Defender’s Office

Opposition parties signed the urgent appeal on political repressions at the Public Defender’s Office.

Almost every non-parliamentary opposition parties signed the document; only Labor Party and Coalition for Freedom did not join the appeal. National Forum and Gia Maisashvili also signed the document.

In the appeal the opposition parties appeal to human rights defenders and international organizations, representatives of diplomatic corps to use all their resource to hinder the repressive machine in Georgia.

Leaders of political parties in Georgia state that persecution of citizens on political grounds will increase the political crisis. Unfair and arbitrary detention will escalate the situation and the authority will be responsible for it.

According to the appeal, the government continues the persecution of different opinion; oppresses, threatens and arbitrarily detains political opponents, the supporters of opposition parties. The government still uses inadmissible methods against rivals. Despite many appeals of the political forces, non-governmental organizations and public defender, nearly 200 cases on abuse of demonstrators have not been investigated yet. The government spreads fraud information about the incidents on April 11, May 6 and May 28.

Besides that, the government uses other methods of political terror like financial or physiological terror of the supporters of the opposition parties.

It is particularly important that people are persecuted on political grounds after the president expressed his readiness to review the cases of the people who were detained during the rallies.

The government applies to two methods of political persecution. First is direct terror on rivals with the help of hired armed people and non-official gangs who arrest and assault people; and second is open terror on legal basis. In this situation society has feeling of being non-protected. That’s why the government neglects its fundamental function – to protect its population,” stated the appeal which was signed by Nino Burjanadze, leader of the Democratic Movement for the United Georgia, Eka Beselia – leader of the Movement for the United Georgia, Gogi Topadze – leader of “Entrepreneurs”, Gia Maisashvili -  leader of “Party for Future”, Koba Davitashvili -“People’s Party”, Zviad Dzidziguri – Conservative Party, Tina Khidasheli -  Republic Party, Davit Gamkrelidze – New Rights, Zurab Abashidze from Irakli Alasania’s Party; Niko Orvelashvili – National Forum and Levan Gachechiladze.

Labor Party, Coalition for Freedom and representatives of Zurab Noghaideli’s political party (former prime-minister of Georgia) were not in the public defender’s office and did not sign the document.

Source: Interpressnews