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Mtskheta-Mtianeti – Pre-election digest # 2

August 27, 2012

From August 11 to August 18, Information Center of Mtskheta-Mtianeti observed 1 case of attempted interference in the pre-election meeting of the majoritarian candidate with voters and hooliganism, 2 cases of detention, 4 cases of oppression and 1 fact of assumed document fabrication.

Interference

Hooliganism in Tianeti - Badur Poladishvili, who is supposedly activist of the National Movement, cursed supporters of the Coalition Georgian Dream and journalists of the news agency INFO 9 in Duluzaurebi village in Tianeti district. Majoritarian candidate of the Georgian Dream was about to meet voters in one of the districts but Badur Poladishvili was driving car so fast that people were afraid he could crash somebody. Badur Poladishvili arrived in Duluzaurebi village together with two persons; he got irritated when INFO 9’s camera started recording him. “Why are you recording me? Do you want me to take off now and video-record me then? You bitch,” Poladishvili told INFO 9’s journalists. Georgian Dream’s majoritarian candidate Zakaria Kutsnashvili calmed down situation. He asked Duluzaurebi residents to suggest him a person whom they trusted to be a village governor if the self-government institution is restored. Poladishvili was watching the meeting from his car and continued insulting people who were attending the meeting. Representatives of the Tianeti office of the National Movement denied the information that Badur Poladishvili is their member. Expert of election issues Nina Khatiskatsi said a criminal case shall be launched on the incident in Duluzaurebi. Hooliganism is a crime punished under Article 239 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. Hooliganism is the action which grossly violates public order or demonstrates open contempt toward the public, committed under violence or threat of violence. The crime is punished by imprisonment up to one year. Although video of the incident was published, Tianeti police has not launched criminal case on the fact.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zwH3LHkMziQ

Detention

Georgian Dream’s supporters detained in Arguni – On August 8, ICMM reported that police officers detained two supporters of the Georgian Dream - Kristephore and Jangul Jangirashvilis - in Arguni village, Dusheti district. “On August 7 we had ordinary meeting with the Arguni population. A lot of people came and the meeting showed that most of them welcomed Bidzina Ivanishvili’s coming to the Georgian politics. The village governor apparently knew general feeling of the villagers and sent several women to fail the assembly. However, we talked with them normally; we answered all their questions and since they saw that could not tense situation, the women started cursing us and insulted Kristephore and Jangul Jangirashvilis. None of them replied to the women; they just said that it was their own decision whom to vote for at the elections. The meeting finished soon and we left the village. In the same evening we learned that both men were detained,” head of Georgian Dream’s Dusheti office Tevdore Kariauli told ICMM. Initially, the Jangirashvilis were taken to pre-trial detention setting in Dusheti and soon Kristephore Jangirashvili was taken to Mtskheta hospital where his lawyer Tedo Kobakhidze was not allowed to enter. On August 9, Mtskheta district court fined Kristephore Jangirashvili, 65, with 100 lari and sentenced Jangul Jangirashvili to 7-day administrative imprisonment for minor hooliganism. Mtskheta district court discussed their cases without detainee’s lawyer. The Jangirashvilis clarified that they were not allowed to meet lawyer.

Oppression, Fining

Oppression on the shop-owner – Darejan Aratanashvili, resident of Michnigaurebi village in Dusheti district, said the representatives of the National Movement threatened her with closing her shop if she supports Irakli Tripolski, majoritarian candidate of the Georgian Dream. “I have a little booth in the village where I sell food and products; the National Movement’s members came and asked me to fill in the application and indicate in it whom I supported in the elections – Otiashvili or Tripolski; I wrote Tripolski but then I changed it because they threatened me if I vote for Tripolski they will send ecologists and tax-officers who will close my trading booths. I know those people but cannot say their names. They represent the National Movement and get salaries from the party; they visit every family ten times and inquire whom they vote; they visited me 4 times,” Darejan Aratanashvili told ICMM. Dusheti office of the National Movement does not comment on it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MYHW-FnSH_A

Driver fined with 200 lari for transportation of Georgian Dream’s members - Mini-bus driver Koba Robakidze was fined with 200 lari by patrol police officers when transporting Georgian Dream’s supporters. The police officers drew up administrative protocol on him when he was transporting farmers from Terjola to Saguramo to visit the National Center of Vine and Fruit-Tree Cultivation. “I was traveling from Terjola and Georgian Dream’s members were transporting by my mini-bus. They wanted to visit a farm in Saguramo. A patrol police car was standing. At the entrance to Mtskheta; they stopped me at the Natakhtari near the gas-station. I stopped and patrol police officer examined me on alcohol. Then he asked me to get off the mini-bus; he already had my documents and afterwards he blamed me I had created dangerous situation because I got off the car and fined me with 200 lari,” the driver Koba Robakidze said.

Georgian Dream’s supporters was fined with 250 lari in Zhinvali – Georgian Dream’s supporter Dato Tsiklauri, resident of Zhinvali, Duhseti district, was fined with 250 lari by Zhinvali police officers. “I was coming from Tbilisi and a police car was standing near Zhinvali stadium; the car of the chief police officer was standing nearby; I passed by first police car but they did not say anything. But Gia, the chief police officer, started the car off; I continued my way and pulled down at the corner; the first police car was chasing me. They said I was driving fast; I replied to them it was shameful to blame me in it because they were following me and had seen how fast I was driving. They also realized that they were wrong; but fined me with 250 lari after long discussion. I did not accept the fine notice. I went to the chief police officer and asked him why he allowed police officers to fine me when I had not breached traffic rules. He said I knew why they were fining me and warned that I would always be fined with maximum amount. I asked the reason and he again replied - you know the reason. On July 1 I went to the assembly in Mtskheta by my car and that is the only reason of my fining,” Dato Tsiklauri told ICMM. Zhinvali police does not comment on the fact.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GKq2v_S2SlE

Labor Party’s majoritarian candidate in Tianeti complains about oppression –Labor Party’s majoritarian candidate in Tianeti district Giorgi Chitauri said a year ago he had given a charity concern in Nodar Dumbadze Theatre. The singer and the Theater administration verbally agreed that Chitauri had to pay 250 lari for the hall rent. If more than enough spectators would have attended the concert, he had to add another 250 lari to the rent. Chitauri said he had paid initial 250 lari but did not add anything to that price because enough tickets were not sold for the concert. Several days ago Chitauri received a court notice stating the Theater administration had sued him and requested to pay 250 lari. The Labor Party of Georgia evaluated the fact as political oppression. “It is fact that the theatre had not recalled of this debt during one year until now,” a leader of the Labor Party Kakha Dzagania said.

Information about Document Fabrication

Commission members state a protocol was fabricated in Tianeti District Election Commission
Members of the Tianeti District Election Commission # 19 Iamze Kvnitsashvili (from the Industry Will Save Georgia), Tamar Arkimishvili (Conservative Party) and Tamar Marauli (Labor Party) blame the Commission in fabricating protocol and demand to amend it. Iamze Kvintsashvili told ICMM that on August 16, 2012 Tianeti DEC # 19 held session; they discussed election of the applicants for the membership of precinct election commissions. “We had ballot poll to elect Eter Kachlishvili, an applicant for the precinct election commission # 16 in Tushurebi village. All thirteen commission members voted for her and she was elected. At the same session, we balloted on Lia Kachlishvili too but nobody voted for her and she was not elected. At the same session, we requested a copy of the session protocol which was drawn up by a temporary member of the DEC T. Jabanashvili. However, it was wrong version of the protocol where only two Lia Kachlishvilis were mentioned and no Eter Kachlishvili was written in it at all. Consequently, on August 17, the list of commission candidates was published where Eter Kachlishvili was not mentioned among the members of the PEC # 19. It is introduction of fraud data or a notice in the official document (session protocol) by an authoritative or person with equal responsibilities and contains signs of fabrication and abuse of power,” Iamze Kvnitsashvili said and added that three members of the DEC and Malkhaz Davitashvili, Commission member from the political party Industry Will Save Georgia requested to amend the document. “We request to amend the protocol and insert the winner candidate Eter Kashlishvili in the list of elected commission members,” Malkhaz Davitashvili said. The Tianeti DEC # 19 did not accept the complaint of the commission members. “They said they could not accept the complaint because according to procedural norms we had to apply to the CEC instead. We were told some mistakes were made even when filling in the protocol. We have not yet decided to appeal to the CEC or not,” Malkhaz Davitashvili said. Tianeti DEC did not comment on the fact.

Information Center of Mtskheta-Mtianeti Will Publish Pre-Election Digest Every Saturday before October 1, 2012

Responsible person for the content of the digest Gela Mtivlishvili Mtivlishvili@gmail.com 

Cell phone:  599 34 34 77

See Digest # 1 from Mtskheta-Mtianeti region

 http://www.icmm.ge/ka/site/articles/2303/Mtskheta-%E2%80%93-Mtianeti-%E2%80%93-Pre-Election-Digest-N1.htm

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