The News in Brief
Wednesday, December 12
UNM complains about pressure in Dmanisi
Twenty members of the United National Movement have defected from the Dmanisi self-government. The members of the opposition party say the decision was taken under political pressure on local self-governments. The representative of the party, Gia Tevdoradze, says these twenty members of the assembly were forced to defect from the party under the instruction of the region`s single-mandate MP, Kakhaber Okriashvili. Tevdoradze accuses Okriashvili of political speculations which aim at protecting his business – the PSP pharmaceutical company. (Rustavi 2)
Pardoned prisoner detained for an attempted murder
Tengiz G., arrested for attempted murder was on the list of prisoners sent by the Minister of Corrections and Legal Assistance to the President for pardoning, the president's spokesperson Manana Manjgaladze told reporters. According to her, the minister had repeatedly asked the president to pardon prisoners with serious diseases. Among those prisoners was Tengiz G. He was originally jailed for robbery. The officers of the Didube-Chughureti Division detained Tengiz for attempted murder Monday. The investigation showed that on December 9, 2012 in Tamar Mepe Avenue, Tengiz G. injured Tamaz Kakhidze in the abdominal area with a knife and fled from the scene of the crime. (IPN)
Georgian BAR Association demands investigation
The Georgian BAR Association has objected to specific incidents of the abuse of duties of police officers. The Bar Association is now insisting an investigation is opened into the incident, which occurred on December 2, 2012. The chairperson of the organization announced at the briefing yesterday that they would even submit a complaint at the prosecutor`s office to demand an unbiased investigation into the incident. They say two citizens, Giorgi and Lasha Sozashvili, were beaten up by patrol-inspectors, who took them to the Isani-Samgori police division and released them only after paying 3,000 GEL bail. (Rustavi 2)
Ministry of Internal Affairs carrying out negotiations with the South Ossetian side regarding detention of Givi Chkhikvadze
Shida Kartli Regional Administration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is carrying out negotiations with the South Ossetia regarding the detention of Givi Chkhikvadze.
According to Nino Giorgobiani, the spokesperson of the Interior Ministry, the 63-year-old resident of the village of Kirbali was detained for illegally crossing the border. "We think he will soon be released," Giorgobiani said. Givi Chkhikvadze, 63, was detained by Russian soldiers near the South Ossetian border. Givi Chkhikvadze is a resident of the village of Kirbali. He was detained when he was gathering firewood near Kirbali village. According to his relatives, he was taken to Tskhinvali. The Ossetian side has not released any official information regarding his detention yet. Locals of Kirbala village say Russian soldiers have detained four residents of the village over the last three months. They say law-enforcement has already been notified of the incident. (IPN)
1,680 prisoners leave prison over the last two months
1,680 prisoners have left prison over the last two months, the Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance of Georgia told InterpressNews. According to the ministry, 880 prisoners were freed as a result of the President’s pardoning. 800 inmates were released by the parole commission recommendations. The Pardon Commission held a meeting on December 9 as well and issued recommendations on the release of 258 prisoners. The president will make a decision regarding these recommendations this week. In addition, the Pardon Commission will hold another meeting by the end of the year.
Apart from all this, an amnesty bill is being discussed in the parliament, after adoption of which a few hundred prisoners are expected to leave prison. (IPN)
Teachers go on strike in Gardabani
Teachers of 12 public schools went on strike in the Gardabani district of Georgia. About 80 teachers gathered in front of Gardabani Municipality today. The teachers are protesting against the cancellation of free transport in Gardabani villages, InterpressNews correspondent reports.
The teachers reported that the Gardabani district administration had told them transport would not be free and they would have to pay for it from 12 December until the beginning of 2013.
Gardabani majoritarian MP George Peikrishvili and the head of the Gardabani City Council, Giorgi Khurtsilava, have already met with the teachers. They said there was some misunderstanding and free transport will be resumed for teachers in Gardabani and its surrounding villages from tomorrow. (IPN)
Minority MP summoned for interrogation
MP Davit Sakvarelidze, who was the deputy chief prosecutor of Georgia, has been summoned to the financial investigation department of the ministry of finance for interrogation.
Reportedly, the case, about which the current MP of the parliamentary minority will have to answer questions, refers to the period of 2004, when Sakvarelidze worked at the Tbilisi mayor`s office. The case may be tied with the privatization of the Rike part territory.
Davit Sakvarelidze is the first MP from the United National Movement, who has been summoned for interrogation. The members of the UNM plan to hold a special briefing regarding this fact. (Rustavi 2)
Twenty members of the United National Movement have defected from the Dmanisi self-government. The members of the opposition party say the decision was taken under political pressure on local self-governments. The representative of the party, Gia Tevdoradze, says these twenty members of the assembly were forced to defect from the party under the instruction of the region`s single-mandate MP, Kakhaber Okriashvili. Tevdoradze accuses Okriashvili of political speculations which aim at protecting his business – the PSP pharmaceutical company. (Rustavi 2)
Pardoned prisoner detained for an attempted murder
Tengiz G., arrested for attempted murder was on the list of prisoners sent by the Minister of Corrections and Legal Assistance to the President for pardoning, the president's spokesperson Manana Manjgaladze told reporters. According to her, the minister had repeatedly asked the president to pardon prisoners with serious diseases. Among those prisoners was Tengiz G. He was originally jailed for robbery. The officers of the Didube-Chughureti Division detained Tengiz for attempted murder Monday. The investigation showed that on December 9, 2012 in Tamar Mepe Avenue, Tengiz G. injured Tamaz Kakhidze in the abdominal area with a knife and fled from the scene of the crime. (IPN)
Georgian BAR Association demands investigation
The Georgian BAR Association has objected to specific incidents of the abuse of duties of police officers. The Bar Association is now insisting an investigation is opened into the incident, which occurred on December 2, 2012. The chairperson of the organization announced at the briefing yesterday that they would even submit a complaint at the prosecutor`s office to demand an unbiased investigation into the incident. They say two citizens, Giorgi and Lasha Sozashvili, were beaten up by patrol-inspectors, who took them to the Isani-Samgori police division and released them only after paying 3,000 GEL bail. (Rustavi 2)
Ministry of Internal Affairs carrying out negotiations with the South Ossetian side regarding detention of Givi Chkhikvadze
Shida Kartli Regional Administration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is carrying out negotiations with the South Ossetia regarding the detention of Givi Chkhikvadze.
According to Nino Giorgobiani, the spokesperson of the Interior Ministry, the 63-year-old resident of the village of Kirbali was detained for illegally crossing the border. "We think he will soon be released," Giorgobiani said. Givi Chkhikvadze, 63, was detained by Russian soldiers near the South Ossetian border. Givi Chkhikvadze is a resident of the village of Kirbali. He was detained when he was gathering firewood near Kirbali village. According to his relatives, he was taken to Tskhinvali. The Ossetian side has not released any official information regarding his detention yet. Locals of Kirbala village say Russian soldiers have detained four residents of the village over the last three months. They say law-enforcement has already been notified of the incident. (IPN)
1,680 prisoners leave prison over the last two months
1,680 prisoners have left prison over the last two months, the Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance of Georgia told InterpressNews. According to the ministry, 880 prisoners were freed as a result of the President’s pardoning. 800 inmates were released by the parole commission recommendations. The Pardon Commission held a meeting on December 9 as well and issued recommendations on the release of 258 prisoners. The president will make a decision regarding these recommendations this week. In addition, the Pardon Commission will hold another meeting by the end of the year.
Apart from all this, an amnesty bill is being discussed in the parliament, after adoption of which a few hundred prisoners are expected to leave prison. (IPN)
Teachers go on strike in Gardabani
Teachers of 12 public schools went on strike in the Gardabani district of Georgia. About 80 teachers gathered in front of Gardabani Municipality today. The teachers are protesting against the cancellation of free transport in Gardabani villages, InterpressNews correspondent reports.
The teachers reported that the Gardabani district administration had told them transport would not be free and they would have to pay for it from 12 December until the beginning of 2013.
Gardabani majoritarian MP George Peikrishvili and the head of the Gardabani City Council, Giorgi Khurtsilava, have already met with the teachers. They said there was some misunderstanding and free transport will be resumed for teachers in Gardabani and its surrounding villages from tomorrow. (IPN)
Minority MP summoned for interrogation
MP Davit Sakvarelidze, who was the deputy chief prosecutor of Georgia, has been summoned to the financial investigation department of the ministry of finance for interrogation.
Reportedly, the case, about which the current MP of the parliamentary minority will have to answer questions, refers to the period of 2004, when Sakvarelidze worked at the Tbilisi mayor`s office. The case may be tied with the privatization of the Rike part territory.
Davit Sakvarelidze is the first MP from the United National Movement, who has been summoned for interrogation. The members of the UNM plan to hold a special briefing regarding this fact. (Rustavi 2)