“Pazil Aliyev to participate in Georgian presidential elections”

Pazil Aliyev, a former MP and current chairman of the International Union of Azerbaijani People will run in the January presidential elections as the Azerbaijani National Assembly of Georgia candidate, according to Akhali Taoba.

According to Dashgin Giulmamedov, president of the Azerbaijani National Assembly of Georgia, Aliyev will represent the Azerbaijani and Muslim portion of the Georgian electorate.

“We know that President Mikheil Saakashvili will falsify the election results at the expense of Azerbaijani people living in Kvemo Kartli province and Muslims living in Adjara. For the first time in Georgian history Azerbaijan people will be able to vote for their own candidate,” Giulmamedov stated.

Aliyev’s election headquarters, headed by Giulmamedov, is already created.

Note: Currently, the other presidential candidates are: President Mikheil Saakashvili, the opposition coalition’s Levan Gachechiladze, New Rights leader Davit Gamkrelidze, business tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili, Labor Party leader Shalva Natelashvili and Party of the Future leader Gia Maisashvili.

“South Ossetians ensure Georgian citrus fruit does not reach Russia”

The South Ossetian de facto government have opened a control checkpoint on the Trans-Caspian highway which connects the breakaway region with Russia, according to Mteli Kvira.

The news agency Regnum reports that the checkpoint is near the village of Tskhveta, 26 kilometers from the regional capital Tskhinvali, and was set up to prevent the export of Georgian citrus fruit to Russia.

Russia imposed a land, sea and air embargo on Georgia in October 2006.

“The control checkpoint was established on orders from the de facto South Ossetian ministry of internal affairs and will work until the end of the citrus season. We took this measure to avoid the transportation crisis on the Trans-Caspian highway that occurred last winter,” the de facto ministry stated.

In January 2007, Georgian trucks with cargos of citrus fruit blocked the highway at the Russian border in protest after Russian border guards refused them entry.

“Prisoner commits suicide”

The Interior Ministry has stated that a suspected drug dealer hung himself while in pre-trial detention, according to Sakartvelos Respublika.

Jumber Nagervadze was arrested on November 14, and was under the influence of drugs when he was initially detained, the according to the Interior Ministry.

Prison staff tried to rescue the suspect, but he died in hospital.

“Giorgi Gugava: authorities are restricting freedom of speech!”

On November 18 members of the opposition Labor Party gathered in front of Imedi TV to protest the suspension of the station’s broadcast license.

“Talk of holding free and fair elections with Imedi TV still off-air is illusory,” political secretary of the Labor Party Giorgi Gugava said.

Gugava also called on international organizations to intervene, adding, “Saakashvili prevents freedom of speech in Georgia. The state of emergency is continuing.”

On November 17 Labor representative Paata Jibladze told journalists that the party had been experiencing political persecution.

“The reason for that is Natelashvili’s high rating which is making the government frightened in the run-up to elections,” Jibladze said.

Note: Imedi TV was shut down on November 7 after the government crackdown on protestors outside parliament. The TV channel has been accused of advocating the overthrow of the government and its broadcast license has been suspended for three months.