‘Successful’ Special Operations of 2005 Equates to 37 Victims

‘Successful’ Special Operations of 2005 Equates to 37 Victims

According to official statistics regarding the Special Operations of 2005, 18 policemen and 19 criminals were killed. In spite of this, the Minister considers the operations successful and gives his staff the authority to kill people on the spot. Both society and NGOs are against this arbitrary killing and want the Minister to think carefully about the cost of these operations in human life.

Concrete Facts

2004, January 20 - in the region of Gurjaani, in the village of Kardenakhi, in one such criminal attack, 30 year old Otar Gvelukashvili was killed and Koba Mchedlishvili was serously injured. Both were ‘suspected’ criminals.

2004, March 17 - in the Zugdidi region of Samegrelo-Svaneti, police killed two suspects, Zaza Pantsulaia and Diko Barqaia.

2004, July 22 - while the police were arresting 21 year old Aleqsandre Gomashvili, he was killed. 

2004, November 25 - while 19 year-old Amiran Robaqidze was trying to resist the Patrol Police, he was liqudiated.

2005, August 29 - in the village of Marani, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Policemen liquidated the following people: Neston Esebua (22 years old), Gia Okujava (22) and Temur Tsekvava (30).

2005, November 11 - in Tbilisi on Gamsaxurdia Avenue, during the arrest of suspected burglar Levan Gulua, the suspect was liquidated.

2004, March 9 - during an operation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, five people were liquidated. In this operation a pregnant woman was killed accidentely by a stray bullet.

Unfortunatelly those cases mentioned above are few compared with the reality. Vano Merabishvili, Minister of Internal Affairs, is giving officials the authority to openly liquidate criminals or suspects on the spot.

“I want to tell the criminal elements of society, we are protecting the rights of everybody, we are not chasing these people without cause, but if anybody, any crimmial, causes problems and is a danger to the community or the police and there is no alternative - we are giving the police the right to liquidate them on the spot.” - President’s quotation from parliament.  

A similar announcement was made by the Minister: “I am saying to the police, if there is any kind of danger, which will harm society or the life of a police officer, use the gun!”

Vano Merabishvili said the same thing when MPs invited him to parliament for questioning. “I am doing this; I am giving this right to the police whose duty it is to protect society. If you see a danger, a risk to the life of a police officer, a health risk, or a problem regarding Georgian Unity, use the gun. I am grateful to those policemen who risk their lives during certain operations; criminals can create many dangerous problems.”

NGOs are saying that the police are being encouraged by the Minister and the President.

“I think that such incidents are on the increase because of bad statements made by the goverment encouraging the police. These only encourage police incompetance and poor preparation. The results are dreadful, not only for the criminals but for the police too. Because of these terrible police activities, ordinary peoples’ lives are damaged - those who are not guilty of anything at all and are not involved in any crime. The examples in 2004 which occurred in Qutaisi is enough”, said Tamar Guchiani, a representative of the Young Lawyers Association.” 

According to the Georgian Constitution, life is untouchable; the Constitution also guarantees a fair trial. The lawyer Ana Dolideze believes that the above practices ignore all these legal guarantees; destroying the presumption of innocence and damaging the rule of law.

In addition to the Georgian Constitution there are also international treaties (such as The Human Rights’ Convention – clause 2), according to which the right to life is a fundamental human right that nobody can violate.

Eka Gulua