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Three Versions of Political Assassination of Guram Sharadze (part I)

July 9, 2007

Journalistic Survey

sharadze.gifOn July 20 it will be two months after famous politician, academician, writer and public man Guram Sharadze was assassinated. However, his family members were not interrogated yet. His lawyer is ignored and cannot interfere in the investigation process. The family does not cooperate with law enforcers and does not hope the investigation will be impartial. Relatives of Sharadzes are sure that the assassination of Guram Sharadze will be one more case in addition to those which are pretended to be investigated through.

On May 20, by day time, Guram Sharadze was murdered at the intersection of Shanidze and Melikishvili streets. One hour later, patrol police arrested Giorgi Barateli, an accused for the murder near Mrgvali Bagi in Vake District. Initially, Barateli pleaded guilty but later he denied his participation in the crime. He was sentenced to two-month pre-trial detention. Law enforcers declared the case was investigated through. However, the family of the murdered man had serious doubts regarding Barateli from the very beginning.

According to the initial information, (law enforcers spread it during the detention of Barateli) the reason for murder was retaliation. The Sharadzes knew Barateli very well because they took care of the young man and assisted him. Law enforcers claimed that the reason for the accident was Giorgi Sharadze, son of the late Sharadze. Years ago, Giorgi took Barateli abroad to work but did not pay salary there.

Having heard the information, the family understood that it was useless to cooperate with the police because they were slandering. At this moment neither the lawyer nor the family has information about the case survey. Out of interest of the investigation law enforcers refuse to make comments.

Human Rights Center tried to get hold of some new information about the assassination of Sharadze.

Law enforcers keep all kind of information in secret. Neither family members nor relatives know anything about their work; however they were told that it was political assassination. Every respondent we have interviewed regarding the accident speaks about political murder and they name several reasons for the crime. Famous people mentioned several motives for the murder and they discuss such details which might be interesting for the investigation.

Rusudan Sharadze, daughter of Guram Sharadze said that one of the main reasons for her father’s murder is the arrival of Muslim Meskhs to Georgia. This question was raised after her father was murdered.

Rusudan Sharadze: “I have not met any law enforcers. The reasons might be various. Even a month had not passed since Guram Sharadze was assassinated and they started discussion of Muslim Meskhs return to Georgia. It was last drop for retaliation. I do not claim that my father was killed because of only that reason. In 1995-99 my father was the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Migration and Countrymen residing abroad. He personally attended to the arrival of Muslim Meskhs to Georgia and it goes to his honor that they have not returned here yet. The whole country would have supported my father who could produce corresponding documents. Those documents would have proved that there was no connection between so-called Mahmadian-Meskhs and Georgians or Meskhs. They are Turkish. Father used to claim that Great Turkish Invasion would seem a dream to us if they were resettled, because those people are brought up in the hatred of Georgian people. Those people are not coming here with kind wishes. Muslim Meskhs openly stated that they are not returning to Georgia, they are going back to their historical homeland-Akhaltsikhe Safasho (county in Turkish); they want to open mosques, schools there and finally they want to adjoin with Turkey.”

Another reason for Guram Sharadze’s political assassination is the Levil Estate in France. Although this question is not widely discussed at the moment, Rusudan Sharadze stated that like Muslim Meskhs’ problems, it would also be discussed. “I expect this question to be raised soon. Guram Sharadze would have certainly sacrificed himself to this problem and would not have given up the wealth which belongs to only Georgian people. He devoted his life to emigration and did his best to return the Georgian wealth to our country which was taken away from Georgia in 1921 by first democratic government. Ekvtime Takaishvili returned the treasure of the Georgian Church to our country but Guram Sharadze returned the governmental archive which weighs several tens of tones. The first democratic government took Georgian budget with them in order to keep it away from Bolsheviks. With that budget they purchased the Levil Estate and it belongs to Georgian people. My father could prove everything with documents and could cause serious concern. Finally they would have failed to sell Levil and to resettle Muslim Meskhs. Consequently they decided to get rid of my father.”

It had no sense to ask the family members and friends of Guram Sharadze anything about investigation. They cannot answer anything. “We cannot make any comments, nobody has got in touch with us,” answered the family members.
 
As for Barateli, Sharadze’s relatives said that the family of the murdered politician knew him very well. Rusudan Sharadze said “Father might have certainly seen Barateli but I am sure, even if he had met him, he would not have recognized him.” She recalled the relationship between Giorgi Sharadze and Barateli. “Giorgi worked as a Culture Attaché at the Georgian Embassy in Geneva. You know that Georgian emigration was large in Geneva and there are some archives and materials connected with Georgia there and they are not well-explored yet. Giorgi was making film regarding those materials and Barateli worked as a camera man. It happened 7-8 years ago. On the previous day of his departure to Georgia, Barateli stole something in the shop and he was arrested. My brother returned home alone. Although later Barateli was deported to Georgia, my brother did not meet him here. I can insist on it. I do not believe the investigation will be impartial. Just the opposite I expect great slander from them. Despite all that, I hope soon everything will be revealed and not only his murderers but also those people who ordered the crime will be persecuted.”

(part II) http://www.humanrights.ge/eng_/articles.php?id=852

Eka Gulua

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