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Old People over Eighty Are Also on Hunger-Strike

March 21, 2008

Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti

Despite the suppression from the Police and Prosecutor’s Office, four members of the New Rights have entered their fourth day of hunger-strike. Yesterday, the health conditions of Gocha Khutsishvili seriously deteriorated and he was taken to the Intensive Therapy Department of the District Hospital by ambulance. Today two eighty-year-old women joined the hunger-strikers. Through this extreme form of protest, the two are calling for the protection of human rights in Georgia, to investigate the November 7 events and the resignation of Nino Burjanadze, the chairperson of the Georgian Parliament. 

Last night the representatives of the Human Rights Center met the hunger-strikers. During the conversation they stated that local policemen recorded the names of the people who visit the hunger-strikers; the law enforcers are officially prohibiting people to support the strikers.

“Since we started the hunger-strike they have been threatening us with various methods. Two days ago we were called by the Kakheti Regional Prosecutor’s Office to be interrogated. They said an investigation was resumed against me and they had to interrogate me. If I do not arrive, they threaten me with detention. Several years ago I was the governor of the village of Sakobo in Sighnaghi district; they want to interrogate me based on an old issue. I did not do anything wrong. Simply, they are persecuting me now like they did during the pre-election campaign because I am a member of the opposition party,” said Nodar Kutibashvili, representative of the New Rights who added that he does not intend to cease his hunger-strike or go to the Prosecutor’s Office.

Demonstrators say that law enforcers, personally Aleksandre Onanashvili, the head of the Sighnaghi Police Department, his deputy Otar Deghmelashvili and Soso Tsitsishvili, the head of one of the divisions of the Kakheti Department within the Special Operative Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, have been recording the names of people who have been visiting the hunger strikers.

“Many people expressed their wish to join us to protest the situation in the country but they are being prevented. Policemen identify all visitors who come here and then terrorize them. If people express their solidarity to us, they, their family members or relatives will face serious problems-they will be fired from jobs, arrested or detained,” said Malkhaz Khutsishvili.

Lia Khuroshvili, the lawyer for the Human Rights Center, explained that nobody has the right to ban a person to express his/her protest in peaceful manner. “In accordance to the Georgian Constitution every citizen has the right to assemble and manifestation. Consequently, the fact that police patrol around the area currently occupied by the hunger-strikers and force bystanders not to express their protest is a blatant violation of the legislation. However, it is an acceptable method in such a police-country as Georgia is,” said the lawyer.

This morning, two more people joined the hunger strikers: eight-year-old Elo Narindoshvili and eighty-year-old Maro Merebashvili. They demand that human rights in the country are protected, an impartial investigation of November 7 events initiated, and the resignation of Nino Burjanadze.

Officials from the Regional Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are not commenting on the accusations of the hunger-strikers. 

This evening hunger-strikers intend to start a dry-hunger-strike.
 

 

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