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Incident between Bacho Akhalaia’s Supporters and Former Political Prisoners

August 19, 2013
 
Salome Chkheidze 

On July 13, a trial on the former defense and interior minister Bachana Akhalaia and other accused people was held at the Tbilisi City Court; in parallel to it, a protest assembly was organized in the court yard. The court discussed the episode about the torture of riot police officers when Akhalaia occupied the position of interior minister.

Demonstrators in the yard protested the non-guilty verdict passed on Bacho Akhalaia in the episodes of torture of soldiers and illicit restriction of freedom of businessman Zviad Abesadze.

The incident started when Akhalaia’s supporters left courtroom. Participants of the protest assembly organized by Nana Kakabadze’s organization Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights met family members, lawyers and supporters of Bachana Akhalaia with whistling that resulted into verbal and physical controversy. 

Police officers arrested former political prisoner Giorgi Gabedava and activist of the organization Free Zone Onise Gergedava; the latter had arrived at the court to support Bachana Akhalaia.

Before getting into a police car, Gabedava said that Akhalaia’s lawyer Giorgi Oniani had physically assaulted him but police officers were arresting him instead the lawyer.

Police released Gabedava and Gergedava on the same day; next day the Court imposed 100 lari fine on Gabedava and is about to discuss Gergedava’s case in several days.

Gabedava confessed at the hearing that he had insulted and sworn one person in the court-yard and apologized to the society for that.

In parallel to it, lawyer Giorgi Oniani was called to Didi Digomi police office for the interrogation about the incident. 

“Gabedava filed a complaint against me but I provided the police with full information which demonstrated violation allegedly committed by Gabedava’s friends. Consequently, they will be held responsible for the crime that they committed in the city court yesterday,” Oniani said.

Footage aired by TV-Channels showed that Bacho Akhalaia’s lawyer Giorgi Oniani beat Gabedava. However, as Oniani clarified, he had responded to the provocations of Nana Kakabadze, Giorgi Gabedava and others, which they had planned against Bacho Akhalaia’s lawyers and supporters.

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