Georgian Dream’s Three Activists Sentenced to 70-Day Imprisonment

Mari Tabidze, Khoni

On August 21, Khoni district police arrested two activists of the Coalition Georgian Dream’s local office. Soso Sulava and Koba Kublashvili are accused of verbal assault of Roman Liparteliani.

Roman Liparteliani works at the Khoni district public agency and he is in charge of amenities of district cemeteries. Representatives of the Georgian Dream’s Khoni office state Liparteliani was suspected in the oppression on the supporters of the Georgian Dream. On that ground, Sulava and Kublashvili visited him at the office and requested him to stop intimidation of their supporters.

This fact occurred on August 17, Friday. Roman Liparteliani, victim recognized by the trial, state that he had not lodged a suit to the court. Nevertheless, the Khoni district court sentenced the detainees to 70-day imprisonment under Article 166 of the Administrative Code of Georgia.

Observer of the organization Fair Elections in Khoni Gia Gordadze told humanrights.ge: “Victim Liparteliani said during the interrogation that he had not lodged suit to the court. He added that he had filed the complaint after he was summoned to the police where he answered the questions of the police officers. After that, of course he was compelled to appeal against the Georgian Dream’s activists. It is fact that Kublashvili and Sulava remind Liparteliani that he was breaching the law. Victim Liparteliani, if this status is proper for him, confirmed only the fact of shouting in his statement to the court; both witnesses agreed with him. Besides that, liparteliani and witnesses allege that the detainees had not insulted Liparteliani. I think they did not deserve the 70-day imprisonment; moreover, they were to be released from the court room.”

“The statements of the witnesses and the victim demonstrated at the trial that the detainees had not breached administrative law and it was not hooliganism. However, the court passed biased verdict under Article 166 of the Administrative Code that envisages punishment for hooliganism that is disrespect to society. The court made politically motivated judgment. According to the statements of the witnesses and the victim, judge could impose maximum fine 100 lari on each detainee if it had concluded that they had committed crime,’ Soso Sulava’s lawyer Sopio Grdzelishvili said who evaluated the imposed administrative punishment on the detainees as inadequate and disproportionate.

Koba Kublashvili lawyer of Nodar Kviciani also thinks that police also committed a crime, when lawyers were not allowed to enter the cell of the detainee and that they were taken into pre-detention without seeing the lawyers. Nodar Kviciani about decision says that court was obliged to release detainees from the court after having heard the testimonies of the witnesses. But court decided to consider actions of Kublashvili and Sulava, that they were calling Liparteliani not to extend illegal activity, as crime and insult. In this situation there was no crime and court was obliged to stop the proceedings”.

Roman Liparteliani and witnesses refrained from making comments with media.

Nika Sanodze Georgian Dream Khobi majoritarian candidate states:” This is ordinary political pressure and order applied by National Movement. They terrorize blackmail and threaten people. These two young men were very active. They worked with enthusiasm and removed from elections by this form. All National Movement representatives of Khobi are responsible about this fact.  Everything was planned in the headquarter of National Movement in Khobi.

Nika Sanodze states that after consultations with leadership and lawyers they may appellate Khoni district court decision.

After the trial, "Georgian Dream" 70 - activists marched peacefully through the streets of Khoni.  There was cordon of police officers in front of a police station. During this police also additionally arrested Mikheil Bakhtadze 64 year old Georgian Dream activist.

Aleko Vekua head of Georgian Dream in Khoni said to Humanrights.ge that during meeting police tried to arrest another activists also but they were unable.