Tea Tsulukiani: “We all become participants of murder when we do not raise our voice against it.”

Salome Achba

57-year-old Sergo Tetradze detained under the conviction of espionage died in the prison after a week from detention. Tetradze was a military officer and worked in the Defense Ministry till 2007. According to the official information, Tetradze died as a result of heart attack. However, the political party Free Democrats state that he was a victim of torture.

The leader of Free Democrats Irakli Alasania and the coordinator of human rights department Tea Tsulukiani introduced the case details to the representatives of civil society on October 11th in the office of the political party. Tea Tsulukiani talked about the details of Sergo Tetradze’s death to Human Rights Center.

Tea Tsulukiani: This case is interesting not only for us, but for every Georgian citizen. A crime of extremely grave character has been committed. This is a murder case. This person was detained in his own home on September 17th and on September 24th his family was called from Gldani prison and was asked to transfer his dead body to home. The house was searched twice and both times without the witnesses. The flash card and geographical maps were seized. The “flash card” did not belong to the family. As for the geographical maps, they were seized from the bedroom of his mother-in-law. This lady is a retired geography teacher. The protocol of search does not indicate the signature of Sergo Tetradze or his family member as the investigator “forgot” to perform this formality after the end of the search. If this signature appears in the protocol after this interview, it will be falsified.

- Your party called this case a murder from the very beginning. What gives you grounds for such strict evaluation?

- A veteran of Afghan war, former official of intelligence and completely healthy 57-year-old man does not die in 6 days if he is not treated badly. Sergo Tetradze lived in old Tbilisi yard and everybody confirms that he continued physical exercise after the retirement and was rather healthy. Besides, we have information that Sergo Tetradze was kept on Uznadze St. for first 24 hours after the detention by the Defense Ministry officials who were “working” on him. His relatives heard from the witness that Polyethylene Park was wrapped around Sergo Tetradze’s head and he was severely beaten. I know the name and profession of the witness but cannot name it at this stage. On September 19th a closed court session was held in Tbilisi City Court. Through the glasses of court hall the relatives could see Sergo Tetradze. They recall with alarm that they could not recognize the detainee as he was destroyed physically. The dead body had a thick layer of make-up to cover up the traces of torture and was wearing someone else’s clothes.

- Has the criminal case been filed regarding Tetradze’s death?

- According to our information, the investigation department of Ministry of Penitentiary is conducting the investigation on the fact of his death. It should be noted that according to the death notice, Sergo Tetradze died 24 hours before the family was informed. The family was given a dead body when the expertise had already been conducted and the organs were taken out from his body. This is a grave violation of human rights. As you know, recently the European Court of Human Rights (ECJR) in the case of Tsinstabadze vs. Georgia considered that one of the elements of violation of article II (right of life) of European convention was that the expertise on the body of prisoner Tsinstabadze was conducted without notifying the family. In this way, the family was hindered to get involved in his death case from the very beginning. Hopefully, Sergo Tetradze’s spouse who chooses to be passive today and tries to believe that her husband died due to heart attack will find faith in herself and will bring the case to ECHR. Sergo Tetradze’s grown up child and the society have right to know how he died. According to our information, the detention operation and torture of Sergo Tetradze was implemented by the leadership of Bacho Akhalaia’s team member Megis Kardava. Bacho Akhalaia himself visited the prisoner as well.

- Do you know the details of criminal case filed against Tetradze?

- I do not know and I do not think anybody does except for his lawyer. That is why the civil sector needs to be active so the public and family obtain the necessary information which will reveal the case evidence. The only thing that we know is that Tetradze was convicted of espionage. Three more people have been detained according to our information in this case and everybody needs to be active to save them. We all become the participants of murder when we do not raise our voice against it.

- Your party states that the public must not forgive the government similar cases. What do you think how possible is it to consolidate society to express protest on the light of the fact that such protest actions bring result seldom?

- The protest action brings result when it is planned reasonably and implemented by tireless people. In order to find out truth in Tetradze’s case his family could have helped us but this is not decisive. By being open on Tetradze’s case we should end the practice when the public is silent because the family chooses so.