Non-governmental organizations are asking for victim status for those harmed during the events of June 20-21

By Inga Kakulia

Wednesday, November 6

The NGO’s deny the statement by the Prosecutor and say that all it takes is a political will.

Organizations are suggesting that the state is not conducting the investigation properly.

Non-governmental organizations are demanding that victims of the June 20-21 events be granted victim status. The request was signed by seventeen organizations.

Organizations are stating that the investigation on the damage to journalists and civilians is not carried out quickly and efficiently enough and the public is not provided with proper information.

Third Sector officials and human rights defenders who participated in the June 20-21 events suspect the state does not want to acknowledge the harm done by law enforcement to the citizens. Their joint statement says denies the statement by the prosecutor that the law does not allow specific individuals to be identified as victims.

“There are 25 cases in our production. Both the Prosecutor's Office and the Court have already rejected 16 of them with absurd and illegal arguments. We addressed them regarding nine people last week. Among these 25 persons are media representatives. The main problem, I think, is the political will. The investigation does not want to decide on the status of dozens of victims. The first reason is that these people will be given access to the case file, while the investigation is likely going wrong. Second, the status quo of tens of people may reveal a systemic problem. If the prosecutor's office wants to grant status, there is no problem with the legislation and no expertise is needed to give the victim status to Irakli Khvedegiani, Mako Gomuri, Giorgi Suluashvili," said Sulkhan Saladze, chairman of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association.

Saladze suggests working on a document to be sent to the European Court of Human Rights soon.

“We have active communication with the victims, who should have this status and have not been granted one. After the communication, we will probably start working on a document that will be sent to the European Court of Human Rights very soon, "added Saladze.

Shalva Tadumadze, the prosecutor general of Georgia, has previously said that the court had taken into consideration the existing legislation regarding granting victim status to Mako Gomuri.

“The court has considered the legal mechanisms and legislation that exists in Georgia today. Accordingly, she (Gomuri) was not granted the status of a victim. If the legislation changes in this direction, then the victim status will be granted to her,” noted Tadumadze.

The Prosecutor General explained that under current law Mako Gomuri would not be granted victim status.