Public Defender addresses the Chief Prosecutor with the recommendation to investigate facts of disappearance

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In accordance with Article 21 ( c ) of the Organic Law on Public Defender of Georgia Public Defender of Georgia addressed the Chief Prosecutor to carry out effective and intensive investigation on criminal cases of disappeared individuals and to undertake subsequent measures on cases where investigation has not been launched yet.
 
For several years non governmental organizations and individuals have been addressing the Office of Public Defender of Georgia with a request to determine the location of ethnic Ossetians having disappeared during the 2008 August conflict or afterwards and to carry out effective investigation. At the same time cases relating to the disappeared Georgian citizens have also been detected at the Office of Public Defender of Georgia lately.
 
In particular, the Office of Public Defender of Georgia was requested to assist in finding the corpse of Ratik Isaev, ethnic Ossetian. According to the information provided to us, last time Ratik Isaev was noticed in the village Karaleti, Gori Municipality with Tengiz Gabarev in August 2008. Tengiz Gabarev has survived and later he has been exchanged with captives. Corresponding to the presented information, Ratik Isaev has been murdered; however the location of his grave is unknown.
 
On February 14, 2013 Public Defender of Georgia addressed the State Minister of Georgia for Reintegration in order to obtain information on deceased or disappeared individuals during August 2008, including Ratik Isaev.

On March 5, 2013 State Minister of Georgia for Reintegration has informed the Public Defender of Georgia that the Ministry lacks information on Ratik Isaev. According to their data, list of disappeared individuals contains information on Rastik Ikaev; this case has been transferred to the Prosecutor’s Office.
 
In accordance with the correspondence of the State Ministry of Georgia for Reintegration, the list of disappeared individuals during August – October 2008 also encompasses following individuals: Sultan Pliev, Alan Khachirov, Alan Khugaev, Tamaz Kabisov and Airbek Tedeev.
 
As notified from the State Ministry of Georgia for Reintegration, investigation has been launched on the cases of abovementioned individuals.
 
The Office of Public Defender of Georgia also possesses information on disappearance of David Sigua, staff member of Gali Abkhazian Administration in February 2007 as well as David Tsindeliani (August 16, 2008) and Paata Kardava (August 27, 2008) in the territory of western Georgia.