The News in Brief
Tuesday, December 17
By Lizi Zurabiani
Sopo Kiladze met mothers of the detainees
The chairperson of the Human Rights Committee, Sopo Kiladze, met with the mothers of the detainees arrested on June 20.
Tina Bokuchava, a member of the United National Movement, was also present at the meeting, who was planning to hold a briefing in the Parliament building with the mothers, but they were not allowed to enter the legislative body for about an hour. Finally, Sopo Kiladze offered them a meeting, and the security guard let them in the Parliament building.
As the mothers of Zura Budagashvili and Besik Tamliani, who were detained after the meeting, told reporters, the chairman of the Human Rights Committee listened carefully to them and promised that she would check the information on the prisoners' situation.
“I was made a promise that she will do what she can and what is within her competence,” Zurab Budagashvili's mother Maguli Budagashvili told reporters.
Tamliani said she was promised that somebody would visit her son at least once a week to check on him.
“We listened carefully to all our requests, promised to verify the information we gave, to study everything well, to make sense of it and promised that someone would go in and get the news, at least once a week. I'm asking that they are released on bail. My son is not really a criminal, he will not commit any crime,” said Tamliani.
Sopo Kiladze herself told reporters that she would do her best to do everything possible within the law, including that lawmakers would visit convicts.
“As chairman of the Human Rights Committee, I will try my best to use my powers to visit these people and to take into consideration what they have requested," said Kiladze.
Tina Bokuchava, a member of the United National Movement, says they are also demanding a meeting with Parliament Speaker Archil
Talakvadze to hear about why are they restricting access to detainees. She also recalled the incident when the detainees' mothers were not allowed to enter the legislature with her, noting that the decision had been agreed with the CIA staff.
"Bidzina Ivanishvili has made Georgia so that there are first-class and second-class citizens, first-rate lawmakers who can bring citizens into the legislature and second-class MPs, or opposition MPs, who don’t have the right. It is shameful to have such a division, but that is exactly the mark of Ivanishvili,” said Bokuchava.
The meeting was also attended by the lawyer of the detainees and member of "European Georgia" Sergi Kapanadze.
Zurab Budagashvili, Besik Tamliani, Tsotne Soselia and Kakhaber Kupreishvili were detained on June 20. 19 people have been prosecuted for the rally against the Russian occupation of Georgia on June 20-21. Charges have been brought against them under Article 225 of the Criminal Code, which deals with the organization, management or participation in group violence.
Third Startup Expo held with support of Bank of Georgia
With the support of Bank of Georgia, the third, Grand Startup Expo was held on December 14-15. Bank of Georgia reports about this. According to them, young entrepreneurs were presented with their products at the Expo Georgia exhibition space.
The Bank of Georgia explains that experienced and successful companies have been involved in mobile marketing to inspire and motivate startup entrepreneurs. That is what they have shared about their experiences with people who have already decided or are planning to make a start in the future. There was an opportunity to ask questions and receive and tips from the successful startups.
The Startup Expo hosted the largest and most diverse trade exhibition space for two days. The event brought together around 130 entrepreneurs working in various industries. The event supports local small entrepreneurs and popularizes Georgian products.
Startup Expo was held for the first time four years ago, and due to the positive feedback from startups and users, the event has become an annual tradition. The creation of the space needed for the development of startups has played a role in the launch event of the Startup Expo.
Sopo Kiladze met mothers of the detainees
The chairperson of the Human Rights Committee, Sopo Kiladze, met with the mothers of the detainees arrested on June 20.
Tina Bokuchava, a member of the United National Movement, was also present at the meeting, who was planning to hold a briefing in the Parliament building with the mothers, but they were not allowed to enter the legislative body for about an hour. Finally, Sopo Kiladze offered them a meeting, and the security guard let them in the Parliament building.
As the mothers of Zura Budagashvili and Besik Tamliani, who were detained after the meeting, told reporters, the chairman of the Human Rights Committee listened carefully to them and promised that she would check the information on the prisoners' situation.
“I was made a promise that she will do what she can and what is within her competence,” Zurab Budagashvili's mother Maguli Budagashvili told reporters.
Tamliani said she was promised that somebody would visit her son at least once a week to check on him.
“We listened carefully to all our requests, promised to verify the information we gave, to study everything well, to make sense of it and promised that someone would go in and get the news, at least once a week. I'm asking that they are released on bail. My son is not really a criminal, he will not commit any crime,” said Tamliani.
Sopo Kiladze herself told reporters that she would do her best to do everything possible within the law, including that lawmakers would visit convicts.
“As chairman of the Human Rights Committee, I will try my best to use my powers to visit these people and to take into consideration what they have requested," said Kiladze.
Tina Bokuchava, a member of the United National Movement, says they are also demanding a meeting with Parliament Speaker Archil
Talakvadze to hear about why are they restricting access to detainees. She also recalled the incident when the detainees' mothers were not allowed to enter the legislature with her, noting that the decision had been agreed with the CIA staff.
"Bidzina Ivanishvili has made Georgia so that there are first-class and second-class citizens, first-rate lawmakers who can bring citizens into the legislature and second-class MPs, or opposition MPs, who don’t have the right. It is shameful to have such a division, but that is exactly the mark of Ivanishvili,” said Bokuchava.
The meeting was also attended by the lawyer of the detainees and member of "European Georgia" Sergi Kapanadze.
Zurab Budagashvili, Besik Tamliani, Tsotne Soselia and Kakhaber Kupreishvili were detained on June 20. 19 people have been prosecuted for the rally against the Russian occupation of Georgia on June 20-21. Charges have been brought against them under Article 225 of the Criminal Code, which deals with the organization, management or participation in group violence.
Third Startup Expo held with support of Bank of Georgia
With the support of Bank of Georgia, the third, Grand Startup Expo was held on December 14-15. Bank of Georgia reports about this. According to them, young entrepreneurs were presented with their products at the Expo Georgia exhibition space.
The Bank of Georgia explains that experienced and successful companies have been involved in mobile marketing to inspire and motivate startup entrepreneurs. That is what they have shared about their experiences with people who have already decided or are planning to make a start in the future. There was an opportunity to ask questions and receive and tips from the successful startups.
The Startup Expo hosted the largest and most diverse trade exhibition space for two days. The event brought together around 130 entrepreneurs working in various industries. The event supports local small entrepreneurs and popularizes Georgian products.
Startup Expo was held for the first time four years ago, and due to the positive feedback from startups and users, the event has become an annual tradition. The creation of the space needed for the development of startups has played a role in the launch event of the Startup Expo.