European Court of Human Rights registered and granted a number to the appeal of Merab Ratishvili, former president of the Georgian Golf Federation. Ratishvili blames the Georgian government for breaching the Article 3 (torture); Article 6 (right to fair trial); Article 10 (freedom of expression) and Article 13 (right to effective defense) of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Non-governmental organization “Article 42 of the Constitution” will defend the interests of Merab Ratishvili at the European Court. The case was sent to the European Court of Human Rights at the beginning of June.
On October 26, 2007, Ratishvili was arrested while driving his own car. The policemen made him lie on the ground; they physically assaulted him and since he was crying because of unbearable pain, narcotic substance was injected in him. Afterwards, he took drug test and it showed he was under influence of drug. Ratishvili was sentenced to 9-year imprisonment.
the Human Rights Centre