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46th day of hunger strike in detention centre

July 20, 2016
 
Lado Bitchashvili, Shida Kartli

Ramaz Kokoshvili has been on hunger strike for 46th day in Gldani prison #8. Kokoshvili chose this form of protest after the court decided to impose arrest as a preventive punishment on him. Kokoshvili accuses police officers in illegal arrest and physical assault. According to his attorney, Kolpshvili’s health conditions are worrying. After the hunger strike he lost 17 kilos and he does not feel well. 


Demonstrations are held with the demand to release Kokoshvili in Gori and Tbilisi. Besides, 20 people are on hunger strike for 6th day in front of the Chief Prosecutor’s Office in Tbilisi. They demand to punish those police officers who, as they claim, exceeded their power and physically assaulted Kokoshvili. 

NGO Human Rights Center, based on appeals of Ramaz Kokoshvili, calls on the prosecutor’s office to start investigation – lawyer of the Human Rights Center’s Shida Kartli office Aleksi Merebashvili said at the demonstration in Gori. 

“Prosecutor’s office shall impartially investigate the fact of arrest of Kokoshvili. Besides, the investigation regarding abuse of power bypolice officers should start. If there are signs of crime, responsible officers should be punished according to the Criminal Law”, - Aleksi Merebashvili declared.

Ramaz Kokoshvili was arrested on June 2nd, 2016. On June 2nd, Kokoshvili with his brother and friends was in the restaurant “Dariali” in Gori. At the same time officers of Gori Criminal Police were celebrating professional day in the restaurant. According to the lawyer, there was no communication between Kokoshvili and police officers inside the restaurant. However, when Kokoshvili returned home up to 10 police cars were waiting for him and as his lawyer, Izolda Razmadze said, Kokoshvili was groundlessly arrested. 

The lawyer added that police officers were under the influence of alcohol while being on duty. Gori district police officer Zurab Chilingarashvili participated in the detention operation.. The lawyer Izolda Razmadze thinks her client is a private prisoner of Zurab Chilingarashvili and she requests punishment of those officers who illegally arrested Ramaz Kokoshvili. 

“We demand punishment of all officers who are in this case. Police officers still continue illegal activities. We learned that Chilingarashvili has quitted his position, but we demand to punish everybody who was involved in the incident”, - said Izolda Razmadze. 

Chilingarashvili was dismissed based on his personal application and he is under supervision of the human resource department – Press-center of the Ministry of Internal Affair reported. However, they say, his decision has nothing to do with the case of Kokoshvili. The press-center of MIA clarified that Kokoshvili resisted police officers and he was arrested according to the article 353 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which implies resistance against law enforcement officers. In the ministry, they are not verifying the fact of abuse of power by police officers. 

The Lawyer Izolda Razmadze does not agree with the statement of MIA. She said Ramaz Kokoshvili received physical injuries during detention that was verified by expertise. After the arrest Ramaz Kokoshvili was taken to Khashuri pre-trial detention setting. Judge at the Gori district court imposed imprisonment on Kokoshvili based on the solicitation of prosecutor’s office. The brother and the friend who were arrested together with Kokoshvili were released under administrative fine from the courtroom. 

Next trial into Kokoshvili’s case is scheduled on July 25 at Gori district court. 
 

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