Judge was Beaten Up in Zugdidi
On the 11th of January, the relatives of a claimant have physically and morally abused the judge Nugzar Saria in the Zugdidian Court. Complaining about the cancellation of the hearing, the claimant accused the judge in partiality and tendency, followed by his physical abuse. Later, they tried to kidnap the judge from the Court building. With the help of policemen, Saria was freed on the territory of the court and the capturers were arrested. Both parents of the victim and two cousins (claimant) will be imprisoned for 10 and 15 days. One of the arrested, the mother, is 72 years-old.
The relatives of Tengiz Pipia, who was murdered on the 7th of February 2005 by Manuchar Eteria, acknowledged the kidnapping. They accuse the judge Saria in partiality and say that kidnapping was their way of protest against cancellation of the hearing. The judge Nugzar Saria categorically denies this statement: “The hearing was cancelled because the convict and his lawyers have not appeared in the court and it was the rights decision. However, the following processes were out of any judicial frames and it is abusive not only for me, but for the whole judicial system,” says the judge Nugzar Saria, and adds that this fact is an example of pressure on the Court.
Maya Gubeladze from Zugdidi