The messenger logo

Former Head of Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee Speaks about Moral Terror

By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Wednesday, January 30
The former head of Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee, Eka Beselia, who resigned at the end of December as she said because of the list of “biased judges” presented in parliament for confirmation, says that she faces a “moral terror” as some are spreading footage of her personal life on Facebook.

Beselia has urged the law enforcement agencies to “immediately uncover who stands behind the dirty campaign.”

She says that the personal life video was recorded under the United National Movement (UNM) government and the previous authorities tried to use it prior to the 2012 parliamentary elections, when the Georgia Dream coalition, to which Beselia belonged, defeated the nine-year rule of the UNM.

“Eight individuals were detained for their attempt to spread the personal life video and the case was even sent to the Court of Appeals,” Beselia stated.

She said that she was against the discussions on the issue in the court as the process could have increased the chances of spreading the video more.

“ I offered the plea bargain instead, which meant the individuals would be declared guilty and they would be sent to prison,” Beselia said.

She stated that the negative campaign against her was activated shortly after she resigned from the post in Parliament.

The High Council of Justice, an independent body which is responsible for the appointment of judges in Georgia, presented the list of 10 judges on 24 December 2018, for the judges on the list to be lifetime appointment in the Supreme Court of Georgia by parliament.

Beselia claimed that she resigned on 26 December 2018 as she was “strongly against the list” which included several “biased judges.”

Beselia also said that the list was lobbed by Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze.

Kobakhidze and the founder and the head of the Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili said that Beselia lied when she connected her resignation with the list, as “her quitting the post was agreed in the summer of 2018.”

There are still speculations that Beselia may be dismissed from the ruling party.