Aleksi Bezhanishvili
Human rights coordinator at the Conservative Party Lasha Chkhartishvili connects the detention of drivers with the intimidation policy of the government. “It is done to prevent future strikes and protest rallies of drivers and other social groups,” said Chkhartishvili.
According to Chkhartishvili, 15 drivers of the route mini-buses have been detained so far. Ten of them were sentenced to 30-day administrative imprisonment; five were sent to prison for seven days.
Five more drivers were arrested on March 1. Lasha Chkhartishvili said they were detained in various places on February 28 and were accused in resistance to police officers. The court imposed 7-day-imprisonment on them.
“I met Makharadze in the detention setting in Mtskheta late at night. He told me he was going to Kakha Kukava’s office at 6:00 pm on February 26 to inform him about the blackmail and intimidation attempts against them. The police detained him in Paliashvili Street when getting off the mini-bus. As a result, he was accused in the resistance to the police officers. The driver of the route # 40 was also in the detention setting in Mtskheta,” lawyer Natia Korkotadze said.
The court imposed 7-day-imprisonment on Mindia Makharadze in accordance to the Administrative Code of Georgia, Article 173 (disobedience).
Lasha Chkhartishvili said that Zurab Pokashvili, Tariel Tsomaia, Vakhtang Chkhatelia and Vepkho Buliskiria were detained on Sunday and convicted on Monday. “According to our information, they also were sentenced to 7-day-imprisonment. They were ordered to write in the testimonies that they were drunk that was not true.”
On the first day of the strike, February 25, the police detained 8 drivers of the route mini-buses and took them to the police station # 5.
According to Lasha Chkhartishvili, the detainees are drivers of the route # 10 Gia Maziashvili, Merab Kankia, Ruslan Kankia, Gela Gelashvili, Badri Khurtsilava, Lauri Maisahsivli, Melor Gamkrelidze and Mikheil Isitashvili.
On February 25, the police detained the son of one of the drivers who also participated in the protest. The driver Gocha Skhirtladze, who was on strike, informed the Interpresnews about it. He said his son Lado Skhirtladze, 20, was also detained at the stop of the route # 122 in Nadzaladevi district when the drivers had disagreement with the police officers.
It is noteworthy that on February 25, the Tbilisi City Court sent eight drivers to 30-day administrative imprisonment late at night. According to Lasha Chkhartishvili, the trial on drivers started at 1:00 am and finished at 3:00 am. The drivers were accused under Article 166 of the Administrative Code of Georgia – minor hooliganism.
“They were accused in cursing in the street and insulting other drivers who worked under their route number. In fact, the detained drivers only asked the name of the strange driver because they had never seen him before on their route. The drivers were apparently compelled to sign the protocols of the patrol police officers and consequently sent them to prison for 30 days,” said Chkhartishvili.
Chkhartishvili added that on February 25 drivers Gia Limishvili and Giorgi Kuliev were also detained and sentenced to 25-day imprisonment under same charge.
According to the News Agency “Pirveli,” on February 25, criminal police officers dispersed the drivers of the route # 40, who were on strike in Vashlisjvari.
“At the last bus-stop of the route # 40 in Vashlisjvari settlement the drivers went on strike. The criminal police officers arrived at the place and ordered us to stop it,” said a driver who added that the police officers did not use force against them. The drivers of the route # 40 joined the protest demonstration near the City Council.
The large scaled strike of mini-bus drivers started on February 25. On the same day, the drivers held protest rally on the Rose Square. The drivers requested abolishment of the tender results carried out by the Tbilisi City Hall for the transportation companies. The second protest demonstration was held on February 28 and the IDPs also joined them. The members of the opposition political parties also took part in it.
The Tbilisi City Hall announced the tender for the transportation companies in December of 2010. Four companies won the competition: TbilCar, TbilLine, Public Car and Capital Group.
The drivers of the route mini-buses allege that the winning companies intend to increase their daily payment from March (up to 20-40 GEL per day). The head of the transport service department at the Tbilisi City Hall Akaki Jokhadze denied the allegation.
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