HRHT: ongoing arrests are political repression

Human Rights House Tbilisi (HRHT) and its member organizations published a statement, regarding the ongoing arrests over the June 20-21 events as political repressions.

The organization expresses concern and states that frequent arrests raise public questions and call on the Georgian authorities to refrain from violating human rights and repressing oppositional forces.

“Human Rights House Tbilisi and its member organizations urge the Georgian authorities to investigate the excessive use of force by law enforcement on the night of June 20 and raise the issue of both political and criminal liability of the persons involved,” reads the statement.

According to HRHT, after the events of June 20, the authorities began to use prominent oppressive methods. More than 10 persons participating in the anti-occupation rally on June 20-21 have been charged under Article 225 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, for organizing or participating in group violence.

“Among them are opposition MP Nikanor Melia, a conservation center biologist Bejan Lortkipanidze and a nephew of Malkhaz Machalikashvili, a father of a 19-year-old Temirlan Machalikashvili, who was killed during a special operation in Pankisi Gorge. Publicly reported allegations against them are extremely vague and unconvincing. The Interior Ministry says the investigation is still ongoing in connection with the events that took place in front of the Parliament on June 20-21, under Articles 225 and 315 of the Criminal Code of Georgia,” reads the statement.

The statement also mentions the money laundering charges against the founders of TBC Bank. HRHT connects the investigation to Mamuka Khazaradze’s announcement about the establishment of a public movement.

Also, according to HRHT, recent cases of media pressure and alleged politically motivated prosecution is troubling. They connect the arrest of Irakli Okruashvili to his claims on Rustavi 2 TV channel.

“Former Director-General of the Rustavi 2 TV Company Nika Gvaramia has also been charged after he announced the opening of a new television station. The chain of events outlined above shows that the government seeks to suppress civil protest and resistance against methods that grossly violate human rights and oppose the idea of democracy and the rule of law,” reads the statement.

In the statement, The Human Rights House Tbilisi and its member organizations urge the authorities and the governing political force to:

• Conduct a transparent investigation into the disproportionate use of force during the dispersal of the June 20-21 rally and prosecute only if there is sufficient evidence.
• Stop suspicious arrests of political opponents and not limit citizens' legitimate protest and freedom of expression.
• Not to jeopardize the functioning of the media critical of the authorities with dubious criminal cases and not limit their editorial independence.
• The Office of the Chief Prosecutor of Georgia should uphold the rule of law and conduct criminal investigations, not on the basis of selective justice, but on the importance and severity of the crime, as well as on the interests and demands of those affected by the alleged crime.

Human Rights House Tbilisi (HRHT) is a membership-based organization and unites five Georgian civil society organizations, working in different fields of Human Rights. Based in Tbilisi, it was registered in July 2010 as a non-governmental organization with the support of the Human Rights House Foundation. HRHT became a member of the Human Rights House Network in the same year.