Sozar Subari Appeals to Diplomatic Corps and UN Delegation in Georgia

Lately, Georgian law enforcement bodies have launched systematic political oppression on the members and supporters of the Georgian Party as a result of what they arbitrarily arrest them and use violence against them.

The Detained on June 30:

Leri Beritashvili – member of the Georgian Party

Gocha Chikhladze – former driver of Irakli Okruashvili

Gaga Giguashvili –resident of Tkviavi village (native village of Irakli Orkuashvili, former defense minister)

Tamaz Odiashvili – resident of Tkviavi village

Teimuraz Elkanishvili – personal driver of Erosi Kitsmarishvili, political secretary of the Georgian Party; his aunt Naira Elkanishvili said the patrol police called and told them they had received a notification and asked our address. When police officers arrived, they started search without any clarification. At that moment, Teimuraz Elkanishvili was sleeping and noise woke him up. The aunt was led out into the yard and according to her allegations, the police officers put a shell on the table of a sewing machine. The aunt noticed a strange thing on the top of a wardrobe too and categorically demanded the police officers to check it but police officers did not pay attention to her request. They took Teimuraz Elkanishvili with the withdrawn “proofs”.

Besik Beritashvili –driver of the Georgian Party (worked only for one month). His wife (they have five children) Tamari recalled that early in the morning of May 30 seventeen armed persons with masks broke into their house, smashed windows and “discovered” weapon in the bathroom which they had put their a minute ago in front of her. They searched the entire house and then took Besik Beritashvili with irons on his hands without explaining the situation to his wife.

Gocha Licheli – former personal guard of Irakli Orkuashvili – after the members of the Georgian Party were arrested, Gocha Licheli left home for several days and stayed in other place. His mother Ema Licheli recalled the fact as follows: On June 30, at 4:00 am a lot of police officers broke into the house in Tkviavi village. They did not give time to family members to get dressed and pointed automatic guns at sleeping children and cursed them. They put the weapon, which they brought through the windows into the rooms, in the broken floor and summoned Gocha Licheli to the interrogation after that. Ema Licheli clarified that she knows how people are generally intimidated in the country and they were not crazy to keep weapons at home even if they had; moreover they have little children at home… Furthermore, Gocha Licheli was not at home because he was afraid of being intimidated. Short time ago, the family took loan of 1000 GEL from bank to renovate the house but the armed police officers destroyed everything. They were telling cynically – Irakli Okruashvili will assist you. They were looking for Gocha. Then they started beating Gocha’s father and brother Zurab Licheli. Even Ossetian and Russians did not do similar things during the armed conflict.  Ema Licheli recalled the night of May 29-30 with astonishment. As a result of the special operation, since they could not find Gocha Licheli, they arrested his father Gaioz Licheli and brother Zurab Licheli; next day Gaioz Licheli was released.

Nukri Datebashvili – resident of Tkviavi village

Tamaz Beriashvili – Tbilisi resident; former employee of Kibar Khalvashi (Georgian businessman, persecuted on political grounds, currently lives abroad)

Brothers Shota and Jimsher Chikhladzes – residents of Tkviavi village

Shalva Sabashvili – detained on June 20. As a result of the search, firearm with its cartridge and 30 bullets were withdrawn

He was accused under Article 236 Part I and II of the Criminal Code of Georgia

Khvicha Macharashvili, detained on June 20. His wife Eka Macharashvili recalled the details of the search in their house: 18 police officers broke into the house at midnight. Eka Macharashvili was sleeping at that moment. She asked the police officers to allow her to get dressed but they locked her in the bedroom and started search of the house. The family members asked them to invite some neighbors to attend the search process but police officers refused. Then they discovered the automatic-gun in the loft which was planted by police officers. Since they did not have any witness, the person, who searched the house, signed the search protocol. Eka Macharashvili asked everybody not to touch the gun because if it really belonged to her husband, they should not have smashed the finger-prints on it; however, nobody paid attention to her requests. Eka Macharashvili added that their house was permanently watched; when she saw her husband at the trial, she got sure that he was beaten and had his tooth broken.

2011- As a result of the search the law enforcement officers withdrew firearm with its cartridge and 30 bullets; he is charged under Article 236 Part I and II of the Criminal Code of Georgia.

Giorgi Saatashvili, detained on June 21. As a result of the search, the previously planted firearm without number and with its cartridge and 30 bullets were withdrawn from the house.

Accused under Article 236 Part I and II of the Criminal Code of Georgia.

Davit Shiukashvili, detained on June 22, 2011. As a result of the search, the law enforcement officers withdrew the firearm which was planted by them previously; it is noteworthy that Davit Shiukashvili was in reserve military service in Senaki.

He is charged under Article 236 Part I and Article 223 Part II of the Criminal Code of Georgia.

Kakhaber Terashvili – Detainment on June 20th, 2011 – He was detained in his office with two activists of Georgian Party on June 19th without conducting any search. After transferring to the MIA building he was told that he is detained for illegal possession of gun.

On June 21st a gun with a cartridge and 30 bullets was seized from the house of his father which was planted there by the police… He is charged with the paragraph II of the part I of the article 236 and part II of the same article.

Levan Terashvili – former head of the office of Defense Ministry, regional coordinator of Easter Georgia of Georgian Party; was detained on June 22nd, 2011. It is apparent that after the detention of his brother Levan Terashvili, he would not keep the gun at home even if he had it. And the law-enforcement officials seized a gun with a cartridge and 30 bullets. At about 02 am, approximately 20 armed police officials went in their apartment and prohibited them to move. They did not allow them to present a neighbor as a witness. Then the light was turned off in their apartment and the search started. Later, they turned on the light, went in the bathroom and took the gun out of there.

He is charged with the part II of article 223 of the Criminal Code and part I of the article 236.

Davit Jarmelishvili. He was detained on June 22nd. The member of the initiative group of Gori regional organization Davit Jarmelishvili who was detained again on the second day after the release from 30-day administrative sentence, now as a criminal offender.

1 Kalashnikov automatic gun with a cartridge and 15 bullets planted by the policemen was seized from his brother’s house. It is not hard to guess that a person released a day earlier from prison would not have put the gun in his brother’s home.

He is charged with the part I of article 236 and part II of article 223.

Bondo Kakashvili. He was detained on June 22nd. A gun with two barrels and an automatic gun with a cartridge and 17 bullets were seized as a result of search. He is detained with part I of article 236 and part II of article 223.

According to the charge, Kakhaber Terashvili, Giorgi Saatashvili, Shalva Sabashvili, Khvicha Macharashvili, Bondo Kakashvili, Levan Terashvili, Davit Shiukashvili and Davit Jarmelishvili, at uncertain time and place illegally bought the guns and explosives and illegally carried them on the territory of Kvesha of Gori region. He stored the gun on May 25th of 2011 in the yard of Lado Vashagishvili in the territory of the village Kvesha.

The evidence obtained in the case: the testimonies of the witnesses Vakhtang Sarauli, Giorgi Davitashvili, Zurab Vanishvili and a defendant Giorgi Saatashvili.

The lawyers defending the interests of Levan Terashvili and Kakha Terashvili are: Nana Gulua, Maka Barkalaia; Leva Revazishvili is a lawyer of Macharashvili and Jarmelishvili;  lawyer of Shiukashvili – Giorgi Ramazashvili; lawyer of Kakashvili – Merab Mamuladze; lawyer of Sabashvili – Bondo Vatiashvili.

Besides, the members and supporters of Georgian Party are under the persecution in Gori region; Tsitsinon Sinauridze, Levan Kldiashvili and Roland Kldiashvili. It should be noted that the latter, despite his age – he is 70-years old – was severely beaten by the law-enforcement and his ribs were broken. Now he is threatened by the police.

We are asking you to pressure the Georgian government within your capabilities to stop the repressions against the members of Georgian Party and its supporters. We hope that in case of adequate reaction from you, Georgian government will be obliged to free the illegally detained people.