An Investigation has Started but It Is Important to Know whether It Will Finish

“They will not Investigate Their Crime”

Ana Sheshaberidze

On August 2 in the morning, Amiran Bitsadze, twice a world champion in boxing , assistant to the priest of St. Gorgasali Church in Rustavi, supporter of the Democratic Movement – United Georgia, IDP from Abkhazia, was kidnapped from a road in Tskhvarichamia. The road   where he was  in his car with his friend Dato Bendeliani was blocked by amini-bus and two cars—a Jeep and a Niva.

Amiran Bitsadze and Dato Bendeliani were dragged from the car by masked people. Bendeliani was beaten and Bitsadze was kidnapped. Bitsadze’s family learned about it at 4 o’clock in the morning after Bendeliani visited them.  Bitsadze’s family informed the police about it. His whereabouts was unknown till the end of the day.

At 19:00 Amiran Bitsadze was found on the road in Didi Digomi behind the petrol station by a passer-by who called his wife by mobile telephone and where her husband was.

Bitsadze was taken to Gudushauri Hospital by ambulance. He was operated on. He had two wounds in his sides (the bullets used were of the same type as those were used in dispersing  the opposition demonstration at the Police Department on May 6). His leg is broken, a car ran over his hand and he had  swelling of his brain.

Amiran Bitsadze said that the masked people began breaking his car and then broke into the car and shot him. To his question why they beat him he was told: “Because you beat our people”. “I can swear that I have never beaten anybody” – said Bitsadze. Before they left their car ran over his right hand and they left him in uninhabited place.

Vakhtang Kolbaia, general director of the party, hopes that it is not political persecution. “I want to have  hope for the result. I want to believe that it is  a criminal gang which acts against the government and is discrediting it. These  kinds of intimidations are not morally acceptable. The government should guess that it is done against itand it should find someone among its  people who discredits itsreputation”.

Bitsadze was known for his political activities. He participated in the elections with Nino Burjanadze . Members of his family think that this was the reason for what happened to him.

Public Defender Sozar Subari is sure that this case will not be investigated now. “This is a continuation of those activities which took place during the last two months. When I  gave a recommendation regarding the caseto law enforcement bodies I knew that  this would e another recommendation that would not be followed by law enforcement. We are demanding an investigation of the case from those who committed the crime. This is absurd – they will not investigate their crime” said Sozar Subari. But he is sure that sooner or later this case will be investigated: “Finally, this case will be investigated. I believe that criminals will be punished. Nothing and nobody is eternal. When the government is based on violence and persecution of people with different opinion, it cannot be eternal and cannot exist for a long time”.

A criminal case was initiatedon the beating  of Bitsadze. Khatuna Odisharia, wife of Amiran Bitsadze, hopes that the government and the investigation will be objective..