The News in Brief
Thursday, March 19
Public Defender recommends discharging State Pardon Commission
Public Defender Sozar Subari has sent a letter to the President in which he recommends the disbanding of the existing State Pardon Commission and the establishing of a new one which operates more effectively.
At a press conference yesterday the Public Defender stated that the current amnesty situation is bedlam and chaos. Sozar Subari stated that the existing Commission has lost its meaning as the President pardons prisoners himself, bypassing the Commission.
Sozar Subari has recommended to the President that he dismiss the existing State Pardon Commission and establish a really effective one staffed with people the President has confidence in. (Interpressnews)
Georgian Patriarchate refutes press reports
The press centre of the Georgian Patriarchate has promulgated a statement concerning recent press reports about the health of the Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II.
The statement says that no sources are indicated in the articles and “detailed descriptions” are given of events which have never taken place. The Georgian Patriarchate considers such articles cast a shadow over not only the Patriarch himself but the Patriarchate as a body.
“We think that such reports, published under the pretext of caring for the leader of the Georgian Church, are actually designed to discredit the Church. We ask everyone to deal cautiously with [making or reading] similar publications,” the statement reads. (Interpressnews)
Mamuka Areshidze – Georgian villages adjacent to Tskhinvali are defenceless
The main problem of the Georgian villages in the area adjacent to Tskhinvali –Ugutianykari, Koshka, Mereti, Ergneti and Tirdznisi, is the defencelessness of the population. Mamuka Areshidze, the head of the House of Free Opinion who visited these villages last week, stated this at a press conference yesterday.
Areshidze declared it is essential to increase the security contingent in these villages, especially Ugutianykari and Koshka. “The houses in Ugutianykari and Koshka are in fact on the front line. Every 3 or 4 days guns are fired towards these villages. In Ugutianykari there is only one Georgian police post and in the existing situation this post is only a symbol,” Mamuka Areshidze stated.
Areshidze said that it is vital to provide these villages with foodstuffs and medicines. He stressed that the inhabitants of the villages are totally dependent as the villagers do not even have any livestock.
The villages were visited by representatives of the House of Free Opinion and the NGOs Centre of Public Diplomacy and Healthy Life. (Interpressnews)
Notorious murder solved after six years
One of the most widely publicized murder cases in Tbilisi has been solved. The murderers of Laert Zubadalashvili`s son have been found after six years.
Zura Zubadalashvili was shot dead at the main entrance of his block in Bakhtrioni Street in 2003. Revenge was given as the motive for this murder six years ago. Details of these latest developments in the case will become known later.
Laert Zubadalashvili was an MP and Chair of the board of the central market. (Rustavi 2)
Labour Party member bailed out
Labour Party member Archil Benidze has been released from prison on bail. The judge has satisfied a motion by his lawyer and released the opposition party member after eight months imprisonment.
Archil Benidze had been charged with money laundering, however Labour asserted he was a political prisoner. Benidze has to pay 2,000 GEL bail. (Rustavi 2)
Man injured in explosion in Varketili
An explosion in a building near Varketili underground station has left Zurab Shubladze injured. He has been taken to hospital suffering from multiple trauma.
Neighbours declare the blast occurred at approximately 14:00 yesterday when Zurab Shubladze opened the door of his house and switched on the light. The Fire Brigade assumes Zurab Shubladze had left the gas on.
The house is now burnt out. When the accident happened children were playing in the yard, but fortunately no one was injured. (Rustavi 2)
Public Defender Sozar Subari has sent a letter to the President in which he recommends the disbanding of the existing State Pardon Commission and the establishing of a new one which operates more effectively.
At a press conference yesterday the Public Defender stated that the current amnesty situation is bedlam and chaos. Sozar Subari stated that the existing Commission has lost its meaning as the President pardons prisoners himself, bypassing the Commission.
Sozar Subari has recommended to the President that he dismiss the existing State Pardon Commission and establish a really effective one staffed with people the President has confidence in. (Interpressnews)
Georgian Patriarchate refutes press reports
The press centre of the Georgian Patriarchate has promulgated a statement concerning recent press reports about the health of the Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II.
The statement says that no sources are indicated in the articles and “detailed descriptions” are given of events which have never taken place. The Georgian Patriarchate considers such articles cast a shadow over not only the Patriarch himself but the Patriarchate as a body.
“We think that such reports, published under the pretext of caring for the leader of the Georgian Church, are actually designed to discredit the Church. We ask everyone to deal cautiously with [making or reading] similar publications,” the statement reads. (Interpressnews)
Mamuka Areshidze – Georgian villages adjacent to Tskhinvali are defenceless
The main problem of the Georgian villages in the area adjacent to Tskhinvali –Ugutianykari, Koshka, Mereti, Ergneti and Tirdznisi, is the defencelessness of the population. Mamuka Areshidze, the head of the House of Free Opinion who visited these villages last week, stated this at a press conference yesterday.
Areshidze declared it is essential to increase the security contingent in these villages, especially Ugutianykari and Koshka. “The houses in Ugutianykari and Koshka are in fact on the front line. Every 3 or 4 days guns are fired towards these villages. In Ugutianykari there is only one Georgian police post and in the existing situation this post is only a symbol,” Mamuka Areshidze stated.
Areshidze said that it is vital to provide these villages with foodstuffs and medicines. He stressed that the inhabitants of the villages are totally dependent as the villagers do not even have any livestock.
The villages were visited by representatives of the House of Free Opinion and the NGOs Centre of Public Diplomacy and Healthy Life. (Interpressnews)
Notorious murder solved after six years
One of the most widely publicized murder cases in Tbilisi has been solved. The murderers of Laert Zubadalashvili`s son have been found after six years.
Zura Zubadalashvili was shot dead at the main entrance of his block in Bakhtrioni Street in 2003. Revenge was given as the motive for this murder six years ago. Details of these latest developments in the case will become known later.
Laert Zubadalashvili was an MP and Chair of the board of the central market. (Rustavi 2)
Labour Party member bailed out
Labour Party member Archil Benidze has been released from prison on bail. The judge has satisfied a motion by his lawyer and released the opposition party member after eight months imprisonment.
Archil Benidze had been charged with money laundering, however Labour asserted he was a political prisoner. Benidze has to pay 2,000 GEL bail. (Rustavi 2)
Man injured in explosion in Varketili
An explosion in a building near Varketili underground station has left Zurab Shubladze injured. He has been taken to hospital suffering from multiple trauma.
Neighbours declare the blast occurred at approximately 14:00 yesterday when Zurab Shubladze opened the door of his house and switched on the light. The Fire Brigade assumes Zurab Shubladze had left the gas on.
The house is now burnt out. When the accident happened children were playing in the yard, but fortunately no one was injured. (Rustavi 2)