Prosecutor’s Office Does Not Respond to the Solicitation of Human Rights Center’s Lawyer on Chataev’s Case

Information Center of Kakheti

Court postponed discussion of Chechen refugee Akhmed Chataev’s case to November 26, detained in connection with the special operation in Lopota Gorge. Judge Ketevan Jachvadze at the Tbilisi City Court is discussing his case.

Chataev’s lawyer from Human Rights Center Nino Andriashvili states that chief prosecutor’s office of Georgia has not yet responded to her petition. Three weeks ago the lawyer notified to the prosecutor’s office that frontier police officers had made false testimonies against Chataev.

“Based on the information spread by ICK and TV9 I appealed to the prosecutor’s office and requested to start investigation into false testimonies of witnesses. However, nobody has questioned them. We allege that Akhmed Chataev was arbitrarily charged for the crime and he is in arbitrary imprisonment. Unfortunately, prosecutor’s office does not envisage his health conditions and high public interest in this case, as well as request of human rights defenders to release him and that he is Chechen refugee and Austria has granted refugee status to him,” the lawyer said.

Akhmed Chataev surrendered to law enforcement officers on October 8. Reportedly, on August 28, Akhmed Chataev arrived in Lopota Gorge from Tbilisi via the request of counter-terrorist leaders of the MIA before they started new special operation in the gorge. As a result of the special operation, two MIA officers and a military doctor were killed, five Georgian riot police officers were wounded, seven members of the armed group were killed – among them were 2 Georgian citizens.

MIA has three witnesses in the criminal case against Chataev, which was investigated by Constitutional Security Department. Those witnesses are frontiers Giorgi Kereselidze, Badri Tkemaladze and Gogi Aivazashvili. They all work at Lapankuri border line.

On October 24, Giorgi Kereselidze confirmed with ICK that Akhmed Chataev had surrendered and he had no guns and explosives with him. The frontier said all three officers were called to CSD after Chataev was delivered to them; they were ordered to sign testimonies. Kereselidze said they could not resist the order at that time. As for Badri Tkemaladze he also confirmed that Chataev did not have explosives with him.

At the previous trial prosecutor’s office did not satisfy lawyers’ solicitation to release Chataev under bail and court left him in imprisonment.

Akhmed Chataev is in Gldani jail prison # 18. After detention his right leg was amputated.