The party For Georgia founded by former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia names more cases of political views being used by the ruling Georgian Dream to pressure and discriminate against its members and supporters and demands an investigation.
“The ruling Georgian Dream party has invented a novel method of politically motivated persecuting – they are pressuring dozens of candidates who have already registered for Georgia to withdraw their candidacy. Natia Mezvrishvili, Deputy Chairperson of the Political Council, announced that the goal was to annul the election lists in certain districts.
The ruling party, @GeorgianDream41, has devised a new method of politically motivated persecutory persecution – putting pressure on dozens of #ForGeorgia candidates to withdraw their candidacies. The goal appears to be the annulment of the election list in certain district. — Natia Mezvrishvili (@N_mezvrishvili) September 4, 2021
The government’s pressure on For Georgia candidates to withdraw their candidacies is alarming. If it continues, she warned that the party could face the annulment of its election list in certain districts.
Mezvrishvili stated that despite her briefings in recent days, which included concrete examples of violations or pressures, the law enforcement agencies did not respond and no investigation was launched.
“We demand that the authorities free the Prosecutor’s Office and MIA from political influence. These two agencies are required to act and respond in accordance with law.” She said that we, in turn, call on these agencies “to immediately investigate all cases of political bias” that we have identified.
Mezvrishvili said that Georgia’s international partners, including the ODIHR Mission were informed about the above violations. Despite such pressure, the Party will continue to fight in the upcoming elections.
She named at a press briefing several other cases where the party’s candidate resigned their candidacy as a result a political prosecution. These included Akhalkalaki, Ninotsminda, Lagodekhi, Adigeni, Ozurgeti, Telavi, etc.
This trend is observable.
“Vartan Chlakhiani, candidate for the Akhalkalaki Assembly withdrew due to pressure by the SSSG. Hovhannes Ovsepiani a majoritarian of the village Heshkia of Ninotsminda District, whose wife had been blackmailed into creating problems at work withdrew. Gevork Babertsyan Chief of Operational Staff of Ninotsminda filed a resignation application due to the pressure due party activities, and was Reesh Kazarian, Lauren Rezoyan and Mahman Mammadov – the former majoritarian candidates in Kabali village, Lagodekhi District and number 11 on list – also resigned their candidacies. Koba Gelashvili withdrew from the Adigeni District Majoritarian & Proportional List Candidate after he was threatened with dismissal of family members. Nona Tunadze withdrew from the race for the majoritarian position in Nasakirali district of Ozurgeti due to the active involvement and influence of Archil and Avtandil Telakvadze. Novruz Gochaidatoghli, a candidate in the village of Karajala (Telavi district), was threatened and harassed on his business and resigned from the race,” Mezvrishvili stated.
“There are dozens such cases.” Unfortunately, law enforcement agencies don’t respond and we give more detailed information to those responding. This is a systemic problem in Akhalkalaki, in general, in the Samtskhe Javakheti Region, Guria Marneuli Kakheti and, in fact, throughout Georgia,” she said.
Notably, the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia reported a few weeks ago that 62 employees had been subjected to different forms of pressure in recent times. In a conversation with representatives of the Public defender, most of them confirmed the pressure and dismissal, and explained this by kinship, friendliness or good relations with party members of former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia.
The individuals mentioned were fired from the Ministry of Internal Affairs as well as municipal services, noncommercial legal entities, as well as legal entities established under public law by various municipalities and other public institutions.
Citizens claim that their superiors instructed them to submit resignation applications. Some citizens agreed, while others did not. However, the latter were dismissed on other grounds. Disciplinary procedures were launched against some.
The above case has elements of a crime under the Criminal Code of Georgia, namely persecution for political beliefs.
By Ana Dumbadze
Related Story: Ombudsman Harassed Dozens of Public Employees Over Relationships with Gakharia Party members
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