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Tianspaiency Inteinational ueoigia
ueoigian Bemociatic Initiative
Buman Rights Euucation anu Nonitoiing Centei (ENC) anu
ueoigian Young Lawyeis' Association



















Apiil 2u14
Tbilisi


=>2?:2?
1. Intiouuction """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" #
2. Legislative Initiatives """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" $
2.1. Bevelopment Stiategy of the Ninistiy of Inteiioi """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" $
2.2. The Law on the Police """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" $
2.S. Noims Regulating To Insults of Religious Feelings """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" %
2.4. Postponing the Witness Inteiiogation Pioceuuie """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" &
2.S. Belay in Wiuei Rights foi the Befense """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" &
S. Evaluation of the Ninistiy of Inteiioi's Activities in teims of Secuiing Fieeuom of Assembly """""""""""""""""""""" '
S.1. Piotecting the Safety of Assemblies of 0pposition Paities """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" '
S.2. Piotecting Fieeuom of Assembly of the Woikeis """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" (
S.S. Piotecting Fieeuom of Expiession of Ninoiities """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" )*
S.4. Evaluation of the Ninistiy of Inteiioi's Activities aimeu at Secuiing Fieeuom of Religion """""""""""""""""" ))
S.4.1. Religious Conflicts in Nigvziani, Tsintskaio anu Samtatskaio """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" )+
S.4.2. Illegal Bismantling of the Nosque Ninaiet in village Chela """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" )#
S.4.S. Facts of violence against }ehovah's Witnesses """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" )#
S.4.4. Inciuent ielateu to the Banukkah Boliuay """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ),
S.4.S. Piiuz Tsulukiuze anu Temui Bakhuntaiauze Case """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ),
S.4.6. Limiting Fieeuom of Novement foi Nuslims Resiuing in the Pankisi uoige """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" )$
Conclusion """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" )%
4. Suiveillance anu Wiietapping """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" )&
4.1. Cuiient Piactice """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" )&
4.2. Nanaging the Aichive Biscoveieu in the NIA """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" )&
4.S. Black Boxes in the 0ffices of Nobile 0peiatois """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" )'
4.4. Bissemination of Piivate Life anu 0thei viueo Images anu Effective Investigation """""""""""""""""""""""""""""" )'
S. Staff Tuinovei in the NIA aftei the 2u12 Elections """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" )(
S.1. New Staff Reciuitment Pioceuuie """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" )(
S.2. Peisonnel Policies Implementeu in the Ninistiy aftei the Elections """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" +*
S.S. Appointment of Foimei Bigh 0fficials of the NIA in 0thei State Agencies """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" +*
6. Evaluation of Inuiviuual Pioblematic Cases """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ++
6.1. The Police Raius """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ++
6.2. Fieeuom of Religion (village Chela, Akhaltsikhe, etc.) """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" +#
6.S. 0bstiucting the Activities of the Public Befenuei """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" +%
6.4. Pioblem of Effective Investigation of 0ffences Potentially Committeu by the NIA Staff """""""""""""""""""""" +&
7. Recommenuations """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" ##


3

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The piesent iepoit is a joint woik of foui non-goveinmental oiganizations - !"#$%&'$#(%)* ,%-(#%$-./%$0
1(/#2.$!3 !1(/#2.$% 4(5/)#$-.) ,%.-.$-.6(!3 !785$% 9.2:-& ;<8)$-./% $%< =/%.-/#.%2 >(%-(#! ?;=>@ $%< -:(
!1(/#2.$% A/8%2 B$C*(#&D E&&/).$-./%!F The iepoit piesents the monitoiing iesults of the activities of the
Ninistiy of Inteinal Affaiis of ueoigia (NIA) aftei the 2u12 pailiamentaiy elections anu coveis the peiiou
fiom Novembei 2u12 until Naich 2u14. The iepoit assesses the key legislative initiatives, the actions aimeu at
secuiing fieeuom of assembly anu the ciime pievention measuies taken by the Ninistiy. Fuithei, facts of
potential abuse of powei by the Ninistiy staff aie uiscusseu. We have even evaluateu the Ninistiy's staff
tuinovei anu the iesults of the Ninistiy's woik on human iights piotection in geneial uuiing the post-election
peiiou.

The activities of the law-enfoicement agencies aie one of the most challenging issues since ueoigia gaineu
inuepenuence. Piioi to the Rose Revolution in 2uuS, NIA's activities weie heavily ciiticizeu in teims of
coiiuption anu human iights violations. Aftei the ievolution, significant iefoims weie unueitaken to eiauicate
coiiuption within the police, to ieciuit qualifieu cauies in the agency anu to moueinize the Ninistiy. Yet,
uifficulties iemain with iespect to human iights piotection, abuse of poweis by police officeis anu the
continuing politicizeu natuie of the agency.

Piioi to the 2u12 elections, one of the key piomises of the opposition foices ielateu to the iefoim of the veiy
NIA. Compiehensive iefoim pioviueu, .%-(# $0.$, foi sepaiating the secuiity segment fiom the Ninistiy itself.
Foi this veiy ieason, we ueciueu to evaluate the woik of the police unuei the new goveinment.

0ui monitoiing has iuentifieu seveial impoitant tienus:
Although the NIA has uiafteu its uevelopment stiategy at once, it uiu not incluue the sepaiation of
secuiity segment fiom the Ninistiy.
We welcome the uevelopment of the new Law "on the Police", because the ueoigian police pieviously
acteu on the basis of the legislation auopteu in the 199us. Neveitheless, the new Law has inheiiteu
consiueiable pioblems, incluuing the use of foice pioceuuies that coulu be useu foi ciime pievention
but at the same time coulu authoiize police officeis to infiinge upon human iights.
Some of NIA's legislative initiatives weie cleaily non-piogiessive anu uetiimental to the iefoims
taken in the law-enfoicement aiea. Foi instance, postponing the intiouuction of a new pioceuuie foi
witness inteiiogation foi 2 yeais is an obvious step backwaius. The same applies to postponing
legislative amenuments aimeu at incieasing the uefense attoineys iights.
Initially, the Ninistiy was exposeu to ceitain pioblems in teims of secuiing fieeuom of assembly.
Ensuiing the safety of assemblies of opposition paities iemaineu a key challenge uuiing the obseiveu
peiiou. The Febiuaiy 2u1S uevelopments at the National Libiaiy seive as a goou example. Bowevei,
impiovements weie noteu in this iespect, anu especially uuiing the pie-piesiuential election peiiou in
2u1S (in view of ceitain exceptions). Yet, light sanctions applieu against potential offenueis aie still a
pioblem.
The NIA's activities aimeu at secuiing fieeuom of ieligion anu fieeuom of expiession of minoiities aie
assesseu cleaily negatively. This yeai, the systemic issues pievailing in the countiy in teims of
fieeuom of ieligion weie uisplayeu veiy acutely. The uevelopments illustiateu that the police is still
ineffective in solving these issues. 0n Nay 17, 2u1S, the police has faileu to effectively plan the
necessaiy measuies iequiieu foi ensuiing the safety of a ially helu at the occasion of the Inteinational
Bay Against Bomophobia. It has also faileu to uetain the offenueis anu apply auequate sanctions
4
against them.
An olu malicious system of opeiative suiveillance anu wiietapping is still a pioblem within the NIA.
Incompliance of the existing legislation with inteinational stanuaius is yet anothei issue.
Seveial facts of piessuies on witnesses anu failuies to conuuct effective investigation weie iuentifieu
uuiing the obseiveu peiiou.
So-calleu "iaius aimeu at ciime pievention" weie caiiieu out ovei the iepoiting peiiou, iesulting in
seveial violations of the citizens' iights. The iepoit cleaily shows that the police has abuseu its
poweis.
The investigation of potential abuse of poweis anu offences by the NIA staff is a significant pioblem.
Theie is still no inuepenuent anu effective mechanism of investigation of offences committeu by the
staff of law-enfoicement agencies.




5
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Thioughout 2u1S, the NIA has paiticipateu in the uevelopment of seveial bills. At its initiative, the Pailiament
of ueoigia has uebateu anu auopteu the following uiaft Laws:
"0n the Roau Tiaffic"
"0n the Amenuments to the Law of ueoigia
0n the "Fees anu Teims foi Seivices Renueieu by the Legal Entity of Public Law - the Seivice Agency
of the Ninistiy of Inteiioi of ueoigia"
"0n the Amenuments to the Civil Coue of ueoigia"
"0n the Amenuments to the Law of ueoigia "on Enfoicement Pioceeuings"
"0n the Amenuments to the Coue of Auministiative 0ffences of ueoigia"
"0n the Amenuments to the Law of ueoigia "on Bighei Euucation"
"0n the Inteinational Coopeiation in the Law-Enfoicement Aiea"
"0n the Amenuments to the Law of ueoigia
"0n the Biplomatic Seivice".

In auuition, the NIA has submitteu the uiaft Amenuments to the Law "on the Boiuei Police of ueoigia", but
without gaining Pailiament's suppoit.

The NIA's stiategy anu seveial wiuely uebateu uiaft Laws, which the Pailiament of ueoigia has uiscusseu
aftei the 2u12 pailiamentaiy elections, aie paiticulaily notewoithy anu will be uiscusseu below.

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In 2u1S, the NIA has piesenteu to the public the Ninistiy's Bevelopment Stiategy,
1
which by itself was a
positive fact. Bepoliticizing the agency was set as a key task of the NIA iefoim. 0nuei the Stiategy it was
planneu to iestiuctuie the Ninistiy, set up the Agency foi Refoims anu Bevelopment, uevelop a long-teim
stiategy, establish the publicly-oiienteu police, intiouuce accountability anu tianspaiency, ensuie civil
society paiticipation, impiove human iesouices management, as well as to involve iepiesentatives of national
minoiities anu secuie genuei equality within the Ninistiy. 0nfoitunately, the Stiategy was silent on the
sepaiation of the secuiity segment fiom the NIA.

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Buiing the Stiategy uevelopment piocess, Nu0s weie given an oppoitunity to paiticipate in the uocument
uiafting piocess.

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The Law "on the Police" has enteieu into foice since 1 }anuaiy 2u14. The Pailiament of ueoigia has auopteu
the new veision of the Law of ueoigia "on the Police" on 4 0ctobei 2u1S. In accoiuance with the Law, the
police maintains its status as a law-enfoicement institution peifoiming executive poweis, but uoes no longei
belong to the system of militaiizeu institutions.


1
http://police.ge/files/pdf/misia%20da%20strategia/__2013_22.pdf.
6
A special chaptei of the Law is ueuicateu to coeicive measuies, incluuing the use of special uevices anu
fiieaims. In such cases, any police officei is obligeu to obseive the piopoitionality piinciple, meaning that a
police officei must only use such coeicive measuies when useful, necessaiy anu piopoitionate. This is meant
to be a waiianty against any eventual powei abuse by the police.

Pioceuuie anu conuitions of ieciuitment anu uismissal of a police officei, as well as the social piotection
guaiantees pioviueu unuei the new Law, has come in compliance with the effective legislation. The Law
incluues a cleai woiuing, accoiuing to which in case of uiscoveiy of potential ciiminal behavioi by any police
officei, the ueneial Inspection is obligateu to tiansfei the case mateiial to the Chief Piosecutoi's 0ffice of
ueoigia. This is a consiueiable impiovement, because theie might have been iisks of conflict of inteiests if the
police hau auministeieu cases against its own staff. Puisuant to the new Law, in such cases the ielevant
authoiity of the Piosecutoi's 0ffice leaus the investigation, thus significantly ieuucing the uesciibeu iisks.

Neveitheless, the Law is still pioblematic in many ways. The special police contiol anu limitation of
movementpossession of an object contains a iisk of uiveise application in piactice anu subsequent
infiingement upon human iights. Notwithstanuing the comments of Nu0s, agieeing ovei these issues pioveu
to be impossible.

G;5.#B G-'&#B#<-&#)$

Seveial meetings with public iepiesentatives weie helu at the fiist stage of the uiafting the Law on the Police.
The auopteu veision of the Law of ueoigia "on the Police" was uevelopeu with active paiticipation of Nu0s,
which is an unuoubteuly positive pieceuent. Recommenuations of oiganizations involveu in the committee
heaiings have impioveu the pioceuuie foi caiiying out seveial policing measuies, as well as issues ielateu to
seiving in the police.

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The uiaft Law that was initiateu by the NIA last Novembei, which intiouuceu the new Aiticle 169-1 to the
"Coue of Auministiative 0ffences of ueoigia", has causeu significant tuimoil. In accoiuance with this bill,, a
peison woulu have been subjecteu to auministiative liability, if thiough hishei statements oi actions she
woulu publicly have expiesseu hatieu towaius ieligious sacieu objects, a ieligious oiganization, a piiest oi a
followei anu aimeu at insulting the ieligious feelings of the followei. Such offense woulu also have applieu if a
peison's public expiession woulu have uemonstiateu ieligious hostility anu hatieu oi containeu public appeal
towaius such actions.

The civil sectoi has iesponueu to examination of this uiaft Law in the Pailiament anu uigeu the Pailiament
not to suppoit the legislative amenument, which woulu have intiouuceu aibitiaiy anu unjustifieu limitations
on the iight to fieeuom of expiession anu woulu enuangei fiee public uebates in society.
2


0nuei the NIA-offeieu legislative amenument, the substantial limitations ielateu to fieeuom of expiession
uiiectly contiauicteu the stanuaius establisheu by the Euiopean Couit of Buman Rights anu the Constitutional
Couit of ueoigia. Accoiuingly, Nu0s have ciiticizeu this uiaft Law on numeious occasions.

At a latei stage, the uoveinment withuiew this bill fiom the Pailiament, thus ueseiving positive feeuback fiom

2
Joint statement of the Civil Society Organizations. http://transparency.ge/post/general-announcement/sazogadoebrivi-
organizatsiebi-sakartvelos-parlaments-moutsodeben-ar-miighos-kanoni.

7
the civil sectoi. The uoveinment's uecision to abanuon a legislative amenument that woulu have consiueiably
enuangeieu the iights to fieeuom of expiession must be welcomeu.

G;5.#B G-'&#B#<-&#)$

Buiing the examination of package of amenuments to the "coue of Auministiative 0ffences" in the Pailiament,
the NIA has veiy unexpecteuly - which violateu the Regulations of the Pailiament - piesenteu the noim
iegulating insult of ieligious feelings at the seconu heaiing of the package of amenuments. This noim hau not
been uiscusseu in auvance with the Nu0 sectoi, anu even the pieliminaiy infoimation on the noim hau not
been uisseminateu.

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At the NIA's initiative, the Pailiament uebateu anu suppoiteu auuitional postponement of enactment of the
new witness inteiiogation pioceuuie at the investigation stage.

Postponing the new witness inteiiogation pioceuuie to the S1
st
Becembei 2u1S is a cleaily negative fact,
which uiiectly contiauicts the iights guaianteeu by the Constitution of ueoigia. Fuithei, the postponement of
the auoption of this amenument will impeue the uevelopment of ciiminal justice anu will once again piolong
the unequal position of the paities uuiing ciiminal pioceeuings.

Consequently, we believe that the enactment of the new witness inteiiogation pioceuuie woulu ievoke
unjustifieu auvantages gianteu to the piosecution anu thus woulu ensuie the equality of the paities uuiing
ciiminal pioceeuings. In paiticulai, the piosecution woulu no longei be able to obtain a witness testimony
thiough a manuatoiy pioceuuie uuiing the stage of investigation. Insteau, any witness woulu manuatoiily
testify at the tiial unuei equal conuitions foi both the piosecution anu the uefense.

Bespite seveial uemanus
S
of the civil sectoi, the Pailiament of ueoigia has auopteu this uiaft Law on 26
Becembei 2u1S anu hence uelayeu the enactment of the new witness inteiiogation pioceuuie.
4


G;5.#B G-'&#B#<-&#)$

Notwithstanuing the fact that the Nu0 sectoi anu the ueoigian Bai Association have often uiscusseu this
mattei anu expecteu the enactment of this pioceuuie, they weie not involveu in the consultations anu
uiscussions on the amenuments. Fuitheimoie, neithei the uoveinment, the Pailiament noi the countiy's
Piesiuent has taken into consiueiation any of the appeals anu iecommenuations of the civil sectoi.

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The oiiginal veision of amenuments initiateu by the uoveinment of ueoigia to the ciiminal pioceuuial
legislation pioviueu foi ciucial anu significant guaiantees foi the uefense, such as the iight of the uefense to:
iequest fiom a public oi piivate institution eviuence iequiieu foi piopei exeicise of the uefense; iequest

3
The Coalition's statement on the postponement of the new witness interrogation procedure.
http://transparency.ge/post/general-announcement/gantskhadeba-motsmis-dakitkhvis-akhali-tsesis-amokmedebis-morig-
gadavadeba.
4
Voting results on the draft Law for postponing the new witness interrogation procedure.
8
befoie the couit seaich anu seizuie of any possession iequiieu foi the uefense; appeal the veiuict anu othei
pioceuuial uecisions in view of the inteiests of a uefenuant.

The civil society has suppoiteu this initiative of the uoveinment, as it woulu substantially impiove the quality
of the uefense's effectiveness, contiibute to the equality of the paities, ieinfoice the auveisaiiality of the tiial
system anu cieate guaiantees foi a faii tiial.

0nfoitunately, aftei the two heaiings the Pailiament of ueoigia has auopteu this uiaft Law with significant
mouifications. Namely, uefense attoineys weie not gianteu the iight to iequest infoimation fiom public anu
piivate institutions, while the enactment of the iight to move befoie the couit about seaich anu seizuie was
postponeu until 1
st
of Septembei 2u14.

0npiepaieuness of law-enfoicement agencies was biought at the pailiamentaiy heaiings as a sole aigument
foi postponing the iight to auvance motion about seaich anu seizuie. Similai aiguments weie useu to explain
the postponement of the intiouuction of the new witness inteiiogation pioceuuie.

G;5.#B G-'&#B#<-&#)$

The Nu0 sectoi
S
as well as the ueoigian Bai Association has cleaily expiesseu its position on this issue, but
the authoiities have fully ignoieu all comments anu pioposals. Theie was no public paiticipation in the
piocess anu the enactment of wiuei iights foi uefense attoineys has been postponeu without involvement of
inteiesteu paities.

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The lawfulness anu effectiveness of the police activities aimeu at secuiing fieeuom of assembly is a key aspect
foi the evaluation of the policy puisueu by the NIA in 2u1S in iespect to human iights piotection.

The analysis of fieeuom of assembly in ueoigia uuiing the cuiient yeai illustiates that the state iesponsibility
was a laigei concein uue to the ineffective fulfillment of the states positive obligations to secuie fieeuom of
assembly. 0vei this peiiou, the authoiities have neveitheless ensuieu that politically loaueu opposition iallies
weie helu in a safe enviionment. This coulu be explaineu by the change of goveinment anu the existing
political context: in light of giave bieaches committeu by the state in pievious yeais on the mattei, the new
authoiities may tiy to stay away fiom the past expeiience, which was a key aigument foi ciiticizing the
pievious authoiities uuiing political campaigns. Yet, it is impoitant that the authoiities manage to
uemonstiate similai appioach anu political will in the futuie, as political iallies might become a moie seiious
anu laige-scale challenge.

I@8@ G')&,B&#$1 &F, E-*,&( )* /%%,45.#,% )* ><<)%#&#)$ G-'&#,%

0vei the iepoiting peiiou, the authoiities have moie oi less manageu to ensuie a safe enviionment uuiing
political iallies. Bowevei, the piotest ially helu in fiont of the National Libiaiy builuing in Tbilisi on 8
Febiuaiy 2u1S was a pioblematic episoue in this iespect, as the uemonstiatois veibally insulteu seveial
membeis of the "0niteu National Novement" anu even physically assaulteu them. Though the police shoulu

5
Statement of NGOs on the postponement of the new witness interrogation procedure. Available at:
http://transparency.ge/post/general-announcement/sakartvelos-parlamentma-mkhari-ar-unda-dauchiros-motsmis-
dakitkhvis-akhali-tsesis-gadavadebas.

9
have foieseen the numbei of the ially paiticipants, the potential violent behavioi anu the iisks coming
theiefiom, the actions of the law-enfoiceis aimeu at pieventing anu tackling any violence weie ineffective.
6

The numbei of locally mobilizeu law-enfoiceis anu pieventive measuies caiiieu out by them pioveu to be
cleaily insufficient in oiuei to ensuie the safety of the political officials visiting the Libiaiy.
7


The application of pieventive measuies was a huge concein uuiing the piotest iallies oiganizeu against pie-
election events of the "0niteu National Novement" )$ 67P68 Q;.( 678I #$ R;1A#A# -$A S-&;4#. Buiing these
inciuents, the ially paiticipants have uemonstiateu aggiessive behavioi anu committeu gioss violence
offenses towaius membeis of the "0niteu National Novement", notably by thiowing stones anu eggs anu
insulting them veibally. These facts iequiieu timely anu effective investigation by the NIA anu imposition of
liability on ielevant inuiviuuals. Yet, although the Ninistei of Inteiioi took the investigation of this case unuei
peisonal contiol, the iesults of investigation aie still unknown to the public.
8


I@6@ G')&,B&#$1 K',,A)4 )* /%%,45.( )* &F, M)'T,'%@

The mass uetention of paiticipants of the ially helu in ielation to the Inteinational Woikeis' Bay on 1 Nay
2u1S was a seiious violation of the fieeuom of assembly. 0nlike othei iallies helu ovei the iepoiting peiiou,
the state has uiiectly inteifeieu in the Nay 1 ially anu bieacheu the paiticipants iight to fieeuom of assembly
by cleaily using a uispiopoitionate police foice anu uetaining ially paiticipants in masses. In paiticulai, a
shoit (appioximately 1u minutes) anu paitly closuie of the main ioau section by the ially paiticipants uuiing
the Nay 1 ially was ueemeu as a sufficient ieason by the police to uetain a majoiity of the ially paiticipants
(S7 paiticipants), incluuing almost all oiganizeis of the ially.

viueo footage of the case uemonstiates that the police uetaineu ially paiticipants even when they weie using
the peuestiian paits of the ioau anu hau consequently not committeu any violation of public oiuei.
9
Fuithei,
the police useu obviously unnecessaiy anu uispiopoitionate foice against seveial uemonstiatois. Yet, the
police foices ieleaseu the ially paiticipants in question aftei seveial houis of uetention.

In this case, the police has faileu to show a uegiee of toleiance anu iestiaint befoie attempting to uispeise the
ciowu, which hau not piesenteu any uangei to public oiuei. Fuitheimoie, it can be noteu that following the
consiueiation of cases of auministiative offences, the couit has imposeu an auministiative fine of 4uu uEL on
S uemonstiatois only (foi committing the offences stipulateu in Aiticles 166 anu 17S), anu a fine of 1uu uEL
on 9 othei paiticipants (foi committing the offence stipulateu in Aiticle 166). The couit has ieleaseu 19
paiticipants fiom auministiative liability anu limiteu itself to veibal notice, while the pioceeuings weie
teiminateu in iespect of foui peisons in the absence of any offense noteu.
1u
These couit uecisions illustiate
'(# &( that the mass uetention of the ially paiticipants by the police was an illegal anu uispiopoitionate
measuie. 0nuoubteuly, the police may isolate peisons who enuangei public oiuei anu in such cases iestiict
the iight to fieeuom of assembly (the state caiiies buiuen of pioof in this iespect), but in this paiticulai case

6
Statement of the Public Defender, 09.02.13. http://www.ombudsman.ge/index.php?page=1001&lang=0&id=1638; Human
Rights Watch Country Report on Georgia, 2014: http://www.hrw.org/world-report/2014/country-chapters/122253?page=3.
7
Report of the EU Special Adviser on Constitutional and Legal Reform and Human Rights in Georgia Thomas
Hammarberg, Chapter 6: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/georgia/documents/news/20130920_report_ka.pdf.
8
http://1tv.ge/news-view/52844.
9
Statement of the Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC), 1 March 2013: http://bit.ly/1ezJCdR.
10
Summary analysis of court trials held on the cases of administrative offences of the rally participants detained on May 1,
Georgian Young Lawyers' Association. http://gyla.ge/geo/news?info=1607.
10
the mass anu inuisciiminate uetention of the ially paiticipants iepiesenteu an unjustifieu anu
uispiopoitionate inteifeience to the uemonstiatois fieeuom of assembly

I@I@ G')&,B&#$1 K',,A)4 )* :U<',%%#)$ )* "#$)'#&#,%

Countei-uemonstiatois blocking the planneu assembly helu at the occasion of to the Inteinational Bay
Against Bomophobia anu Tiansphobia (IBAB0) on 17 Nay 2u1S was the giavest violation of the fieeuom of
assembly uuiing the obseiveu peiiou. Bespite high safety guaiantees given by the authoiities to the ially
paiticipants, the state has faileu to fulfill its positive obligation in teims of piotecting uemonstiatois fiom
countei-uemonstiatois anu secuiing theii safety.
11
Aftei countei-uemonstiatois hau bioken thiough the
coiuon, the police evacuateu ially paiticipants, who in ieality weie uepiiveu of theii iight to enjoy fieeuom of
assembly.

In light of the numbei anu the ihetoiic of countei-uemonstiatois, the police shoulu have pieuicteu the iisks
coming fiom them. Yet, the safety plan elaboiateu by the police aimeu at fencing off the countei-
uemonstiatois' anu holuing the IBAB0 uay ially in a safe enviionment pioveu to be ineffective fiom the
beginning.
12
The coeicive means that the police useu to secuie the safety of the ially uiu not even &*5G/0.)$00*
pioveu its intention to ensuie that the Nay 17 ially took actually place. The police foice useu by the NIA at the
place of assembly was cleaily inauequate anu unviable foi fencing off countei-uemonstiatois in case of any
attempt to bieak thiough the coiuon.
1S
Noieovei, the viueo footage shows that the countei-uemonstiatois uiu
not meet substantial iesistance fiom the police when bieaking thiough the coiuon anu even uemonstiates
that the police officeis uiu let thiough cleigymen anu seveial paiticipants of the countei-uemonstiation
following them.
14


The effectiveness of the police actions aimeu at secuiing the safety of the ially paiticipants was mostly
uisputable in ielation to the inciuent on the vachnauze Stieet, as the police faileu to timely anu piopeily
assess iisks coming fiom the countei-uemonstiatois. The police was late in evacuating activists (up to 2u
peisons) fiom vachnauze Stieet, which iesulteu in the activists suffeiing fiom physical injuiies anu giave
stiess.

Bowevei, as the ially paiticipants acknowleugeu themselves, seveial NIA employees have uuly fulfilleu theii
uuties of evacuating the ially paiticipants uuiing the countei-uemonstiatois' attacks.

The absence of a plan to pievent uncontiolleu anu aggiessive behavioi of a laige numbei of countei-
uemonstiatois in the stieets aftei the evacuation of the planneu IBAB0 ially paiticipants was a majoi flaw of
the police activities in teims of uue contiol of the iallies. In this episoue, numeious inuiviuual cases of violence
weie iepoiteu against vaiious peisons (who weie LuBT peisons oi weie iuentifieu as such by the aggiessois)
in the aieas aujacent to the ially, violence that the police shoulu have foieseen.

Consiueiing the scale of violence shown by the countei-uemonstiatois on Nay 17 anu the iesults of
investigation available now, it can be concluueu that the effoits of investigation with iespect to Nay 17

11
Statement of NGOs on the May 17 developments: http://gyla.ge/geo/news?info=1581.
12
In this respect refer to the report of the Georgian Democratic Initiative (GDI), Chapter 7, available at: http://gdi.ge/wp-
content/uploads/2013/07/GDI-report-full-version.pdf.
13
Amnesty International, 17.05.2013: http://amnesty.org/en/news/georgia-homophobic-violence-mars-tbilisi-pride-event-
2013-05-17.
14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uC7VYF0NBI.

11
violence has been ineffective.
1S
Theiefoie, the state has faileu to fulfill its positive obligation to pioviue
effective legal iesponse to the violations of the fieeuom of assembly anu thus iemeuy to these human iights
bieaches. Aftei Nay 17, only foui peisons weie fineu with 1uu uEL foi petty hooliganism (Aiticle 166 of the
Coue of Auministiative 0ffences). Chaiges weie biought against two cleigymen foi committing the ciime
stipulateu in Aiticle 161 of the Ciiminal Coue (infiinging upon the iight of assembly anu manifestation).
16

Piosecution has teiminateu against one of the uefenuants, anu juuicial pioceeuings aie still penuing in iespect
of anothei cleigyman.

By taking into account the above-uesciibeu violations, it is ciucial that the NIA plans anu puisues effectives
policies aimeu at uuly secuiing the fieeuom of assembly, which is a complex piocess incluuing:
Bevelopment of guiuelines anu policy uocuments foi implementing the inteinational stanuaius of
fieeuom of assembly,
Auoption of inteinal instiuctions foi the police officeis foi the management, contiol anu fulfillment of
the safety of the iallies,
Bevelopment of effective methous foi managing countei-uemonstiations anu pieventing violence,
Impiovement of the iules anu pioceuuies foi applying special uevices uuiing the management of the
iallies,
Impiovement of the uecision-making pioceuuies uuiing the management of the iallies,
Tiaining of the police officeis anu incieasing theii knowleugecapabilities about LuBT iights.

I@L@ :3-.;-&#)$ )* &F, "#$#%&'( )* +$&,'#)'O% /B&#3#&#,% -#4,A -& E,B;'#$1 K',,A)4 )* J,.#1#)$

Systemic pioblems of the countiy in iespect of fieeuom of ieligion weie most acutely ievealeu in 2u1S.
Somewhat vigoious cases of violence towaius ieligious minoiities iuentifieu uuiing this peiiou iequiie a
complex explanation anu theii causes shoulu be sought in the cuiient political context. Bowevei, foi the
puiposes of this iepoit, the piesent sub-chaptei pioviues only a legal assessment of the NIA activities in this
iegaiu.

The analysis illustiates that the stuuieu peiiou has witnesseu seveial giave cases of iestiiction of fieeuom of
ieligion, incluuing, .%-(# $0.$, the ieligious conflicts iuentifieu in 3#..-1,% 2#13V#-$#W ?%#$&%T-') -$A
E-4&-&%T-') against the Nuslim community in 2u12-2u1S;
17
the illegal uismantling of the Nosque minaiet by
the cential authoiities on 26 August 2u1S in village Chela, accompanieu by the police-oichestiateu laige-scale
opeiation anu use of uispiopoitionate foice against the local Nuslims;
18
seveial seiious offences committeu
against the }ehovah's Witnesses baseu on ieligious hatieu;
19
violence exhibiteu uue to ieligious intoleiance in
Tbilisi uuiing the Banukkah celebiation.
2u
0nfoitunately, the NIA's iesponse to these facts has been neithei
auequate noi effective.


15
Report of the EU Special Adviser on Constitutional and Legal Reform and Human Rights in Georgia Thomas
Hammarberg, Sub-Chapter 4.4: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/georgia/documents/news/20130920_report_ka.pdf.
16
In this respect refer to the joint NGO statement on the recent developments in relation to the May 17 developments:
http://gyla.ge/geo/news?info=1579.
17
Study of the Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC): Crisis of Secularism and Loyalty to the Dominant
Group (study of religious conflicts identified in Georgia in 2012-2013), available at: http://emc.org.ge/2013/12/05/25/
18
Joint NGO statement on developments in village Chela, available at: http://gdi.ge/?p=403.
19
Statement of the Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC), available at: http://bit.ly/1eXyX2I.
20
Statement of the Public Defender, available at: http://ombudsman.ge/index.php?page=1001&lang=0&id=1853
12
I@L@8@ J,.#1#);% =)$*.#B&% #$ 2#13V#-$#W ?%#$&%T-') -$A E-4&-&%T-')

The analysis of ieligious conflicts in the villages of Nigvziani, Tsintskaio anu Samtatskaio shows that the iole
of the police uuiing these ieligious confiontations was passive anu that they uiu not ieact auequately to the
committeu offences. Bespite violence showeu uuiing the conflicts anu numeious facts of violent attempts,
which '#.5$ H$).( inuicateu the bieaches of specific aiticles of the Ciiminal Coue oi the Coue of Auministiative
0ffences, the police have faileu to pievent them anu uetain the offenueis. Foi instance, on 2 Novembei 2u12
seveial local Chiistians have foicefully enteieu the shiine aiea in the village Nigvziani anu attempteu to
obstiuct the ieligious iitual by thieats of violence. Neveitheless, the police was only obseiving the piocess
without pieventing the actual infiingement
21
.

Fuitheimoie, the viueo footage maue on 29, Su Novembei 2u12 in the village of Tsintskaio shows cases of
thieat anu attempts to obstiuct the ieligious iitual by the local Chiistians anu uemonstiates that actions of the
police weie iuentically passive, such as in the Nigvziani case.
22


0n 24 Nay 2u1S, some of the local Chiistians in the village of Samtatskaio bioke into the shiine of the Nuslim
community, thiew out ieligious items anu attiibutes fiom the shiine anu obstiucteu the planneu piayei,
2S
anu
although police officeis weie piesent on the spot, they faileu to pievent the offence. 0n S1 Nay 2u1S,
iesiuents of village Samtatskaio closeu the ioau to the village, uiu not let thiough iepiesentatives of the
Nuslim Auministiation anu foiceu them to go back by using foice anu thieats.
24


0n 7 }uly 2u1S, the NIA staff allegeuly useu uuiess on the Samtatskaio Nuslim community Khoja Suliko
Khozievaniuze, facts that he uiiectly uesciibes in the explanation given to the Public Befenuei.
2S
0n 28 }une
2u1S, a laige gioup of local Chiistians invaueu Suliko Khozievaniuze's house anu uemanueu unuei thieats to
close uown the shiine. The police mentioneu latei that no offense was iepoiteu uuiing the inciuent.
26
The
police have not uetaineu anyone in ielation to the inciuent.

Apait fiom the effective iesponse, the state has subsequently faileu to effectively investigate potential
offences iepoiteu uuiing the conflicts. Accoiuing to the NIA, the local population have not illegally obstiucteu,
exeiciseu violence oi thieats anu insulteu the ieligious feelings of the Nuslims uuiing theii ieligious iite on 2
Novembei 2u12 in the village of Nigvziani, while the investigation was not even launcheu in the case of
Tsintskaio, uue to the absence of ieasonable suspicion of ciiminal activity. Accoiuing to the NIA, in iespect of
the Samtatskaio conflict, the investigation is unueiway conceining the illegal obstiuction of a ieligious iite,
puisuant to Section 1 of Aiticle 1SS of the Ciiminal Coue.
27


I6(#$00, the policies puisueu by the police uuiing the ieligious conflicts weie not in line with iequiiements of
inteinational stanuaius of human iights piotection. Namely, in the uesciibeu cases, the police inaction has
contiauicteu the positive obligation of the state to piotect inuiviuuals fiom infiingement upon theii iights
thiough effective investigation anu application of punitive mechanisms. Fuithei, the non-inteifeience shown
by the police uuiing the ieligious conflicts has iesulteu in the expansion anu escalation of such conflicts. In

21
Study of the Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC), Sub-Chapters 2.2.2. and 5.2;
22
Study of the Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC), Sub-Chapters 3.2.2. and 5.2;
23
http://www.ick.ge/articles/14431-i.html.
24
http://www.ick.ge/articles/14503--videos.html.
25
http://www.ick.ge/articles/14873-i.html.
26
http://www.ick.ge/articles/14818--video.html.
27
Study of the Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC), Sub-Chapter 5.2;

13
conclusion, oui analysis of the mentioneu ieligious conflicts illustiates that eveiy othei ieligious conflict
exhibiteu a level of highei intensity anu causeu fuithei human iights violations.

I@L@6@ +..,1-. D#%4-$&.#$1 )* &F, ")%X;, "#$-',& #$ Y#..-1, =F,.-

A consiueiable bieach of fieeuom of ieligion took place in August 2u1S in the village of Chela in Auigeni
Nunicipality, becoming one of the most piominent human iights violations occuiieu in 2u1S.

0n 26 August 2u1S, the Customs Bepaitment of the Revenue Seivice of the Ninistiy of Finance has illegally
uismantleu the Nosque minaiet. The Revenue Seivice has iefeiieu to the fielu inspection pioceuuie aftei the
cleaiance of the goou as a foimal basis foi uismantling the minaiet. The statement ieleaseu by the Revenue
Seivice saiu that the weight of the constiuction anu the piouuct iuentification numbei (PIN) may have been
inconsistent with the ueclaieu uata, anu theiefoie the uecision on caiiying out a piouuct expeit examination
was taken. Yet, , Nu0s as well as the Public Befenuei have assesseu the measuie caiiieu out by the Customs
Bepaitment of the Revenue Seivice as illegal anu cleaily unjustifieu.

As the local iesiuents claim in theii inteiviews that uuiing the uismantle of the minaiet, all ioaus leauing to
the village weie closeu, while the special opeiation itself was of unpieceuenteu scale, involving 2 helicopteis,
up to 4u S0vs anu 2uu law-enfoicement officeis (incluuing the SWAT). The police exeiciseu violence against
pait of the population, which tiieu to appioach the shiine uuiing the uismantling, while they uetaineu otheis
accusing them of civil uisobeuience. The mobile phone footage maue by the citizens uemonstiates that the
police maue seveial waining shots to thieaten the population. Accoiuing to the uisseminateu infoimation,
uuiing the special opeiation the police uetaineu 21 peisons, pait of which was ieleaseu on the night of August
26.

0n August 27, the Akhaltsikhe Bistiict Couit fineu six uetaineu inuiviuuals foi committing auministiative
offences, while oiueieu thiee uetainees to pay 2,uuu uEL - each on bail as a pieventive measuie foi the ciime
stipulateu in Aiticle SSS of the Ciiminal Coue. In Novembei 2u1S, the Revenue Seivice neveitheless ueciueu
to ietuin anu eiect the minaiet in Chela.

In biief, the police have useu against local Nuslims cleaily uispiopoitionate anu unjustifieu foice. Regaiuless
of numeious justifieu appeals conceining the launch of investigation into facts of abuse of powei by the police
uuiing the uismantling of the Chela minaiet, the Piosecutoi's 0ffice anu the NIA have iefuseu to launch the
investigation. Noieovei, accoiuing to the NIA the actions of police officeis uiu not even incluue uisciplinaiy
misuemeanois.
I@L@I@ K-B&% )* Y#).,$B, -1-#$%& Q,F)3-FO% M#&$,%%,%

Facts of violence against }ehovah's Witnesses have consiueiably incieaseu in 2u1S-2u14. The analysis of
cuiient situation shows that not only the numbei of violent cases has giown, but the natuie of the exposeu
violence has tiansfoimeu as well. violent facts committeu uuiing the stuuieu peiiou baseu on ieligious
hostility often take place openly anu in public spaces, as well as the obseiveu violence is usually collective. A
compaiative analysis of cuiient piactices with the finuings of the Public Befenuei's 2u11-2u12 iepoits shows
that unlike the ieligious offences committeu in pievious yeais, which weie mainly non-violent anu expiesseu
thiough veibal insults anu attacks on the Kinguom Ball, in 2u1S-2u14 the numbei of attacks on physical
peisons has incieaseu, majoiity of which infiingeu upon the victims physical anu mental integiity.

14
Accoiuing to the iepoit of the Chiistian 0iganization of }ehovah's Witnesses, 4S violent cases against
}ehovah's Witnesses weie iuentifieu thioughout 2u1S. In 14 of the cases, the offenueis have infiingeu upon
physical integiity anu insulteu ieligious feelings of the }ehovah's Witnesses uuiing a ieligious iite. In seveial
cases, the obseiveu physical violence against }ehovahs Witnesses was ueemeu as seveie.

The 2u14 iepoit unveils 2S violent inciuents against }ehovah's Witnesses ovei }anuaiy-Naich. In 2u cases, the
ieligious iites weie obstiucteu, in 9 cases out of these thiough physical violence anu 11 thiough veibal insults
of ieligious feelings. Six out of the 2S inciuents occuiieu in Tbilisi, anu the iemaining 19 - in vaiious iegions of
ueoigia. All six inciuents in Tbilisi took place in public aieas, when the }ehovah's witnesses weie pieaching
next to a stanu aujacent to a metio station entiance. . In majoiity of the attacks, the offenueis have insulteu
ieligious feelings, uemonstiatively giabbeu ieligious liteiatuie anu uestiucteu it immeuiately afteiwaius.
Aggiession is usually coming fiom seveial peisons collectively, acting spontaneously.

Similai to pievious yeais, the iesponse of the police to offences committeu on ieligious giounus is mostly
inauequate. It is though a positive sign that when law-enfoicement authoiities ueciueu to launch an
investigation foi facts of violence; they uiu give such facts the iight legal qualification (wheie the aspect of
obstiucting ieligious activities oi violation of equal iights is eviuent). Yet, conciete legal consequences aie
missing uue to fiequently piolongeu investigation piocess. Notably, although theie has been a viueo footage
foi most of the above-uesciibeu inciuents, which was attacheu to the victims' applications anu which among
othei pioofs pioviueu giounus foi suspecting that those peisons hau potentially committeu actions
piohibiteu by the Ciiminal Coue, the Piosecutoi's 0ffice has not initiateu ciiminal piosecution anu until now
has not issueu any iesolution on inuictment. . In auuition, insteau of launching investigation into actions
coveieu by the Ciiminal Coue, the police has applieu the lightest penalty foi an auministiative misuemeanoi -
a waining, which cannot be consiueieu as a lawful anu ielevant measuie aimeu at fighting such ciiminal
offenses.
I@L@L@ +$B#A,$& ',.-&,A &) &F, Z-$;TT-F Z).#A-(

The most pioblematic in the Banukkah-ielateu inciuent is the qualification of actions of uetaineu peisons. The
NIA has qualifieu the actions of uetainees unuei Aiticle 166 of the Coue of Auministiative 0ffences (petty
hooliganism), uespite the fact that theii actions containeu signs of a ciime foieseen by Aiticle 1SS of the
Ciiminal Coue (illegal obstiuction of a ieligious iite). Notably, in oiuei to pievent ciimes committeu on the
giounus of ieligious hostility, it is essential that the NIA gives an auequate legal assessment to the iuentifieu
offences.
I@L@N@ G#';V ?%;.;T#AV, -$A ?,4;' S-TF;$&-'-AV, =-%,

Piiuz Tsulukiuze anu his coach Temui Bakhuntaiauze weie uetaineu on 1S Septembei 2u1S in Batumi foi
showing iesistance to the police. The uefenuants have consiueieu theii uetention to be a case of peisecution
on ieligious motives. Infoimation was ieleaseu piioi to theii uetention, accoiuing to which the Euiopean
wiestling champion, , the 2u-yeai olu Piiuz Tsulukiuze was not alloweu attenu the Woilu Championships on
1u August 2u1S foi the veiy ieligious ieasons. Accoiuing to the uetainee, seveial uays piioi to his uepaituie
the police officei has piohibiteu him fiom leaving the teiiitoiy of ueoigia without any explanation, while on
the next uay the Wiestling Feueiation has explaineu that he was piohibiteu fiom leaving the countiy on the
giounu of "contacts with people unuesiiable foi ueoigia".

Piiuz Tsulukiuze claims that the police have meicilessly beaten his coach anu himself uuiing the uetention. As
the uetainee alleges, they weie beaten foi about one houi, uuiing which the policemen weie stepping on theii

15
backs befoie hitting him with a blunt object anu kicking his heau on the giounu. Accoiuing to the uetainees,
the police officeis weie especially aggiessive towaius Temui Bakhuntaiauze, following which the lattei hau
lost consciousness. Physical insult was accompanieu with veibal insults, anu emphasis was maue on theii
faith, paiticulaily because the uetainees weie Nuslims. The tiustee of the Public Befenuei has also confiimeu
numeious bouy injuiies suffeieu by the uetainees.

Fuithei, the uetainees claim that they hau been piessuieu piioi to that on ieligious giounus. In paiticulai, the
police officeis have piohibiteu Coach Temui Bakhuntaiauze fiom conuucting piayeis in the hall aiiangeu on
the giounu flooi of his iesiuential house.

0nuoubteuly, the above-mentioneu infoimation suggest that the law-enfoicement authoiities has tieateu both
Tsulukiuze anu Bakhuntaiauze impiopeily anu has peisecuteu them on ieligious giounu. We theiefoie call on
the law-enfoicement authoiities to effectively investigate the case anu sanction the ielevant inuiviuuals.
I@L@[@ C#4#&#$1 K',,A)4 )* ")3,4,$& *)' ";%.#4% J,%#A#$1 #$ &F, G-$T#%# 0)'1,

0n 22 Febiuaiy 2u14, the local Nuslims in village Buisi oiganizeu a ially in oiuei to piotest against facts of
illegal anu aibitiaiy limitation of fieeuom of movement by the NIA foi inuiviuuals iesiuing in Pankisi oi in
pioximity of the Pankisi uoige. Accoiuing to the locals, without any legal anu factual explanations, the NIA
uoes not allow the local Kists anu Chechens to leave as well as entei the teiiitoiy of ueoigia. They claim that
the NIA has incluueu a ceitain gioup of the local Kists anu Chechens (mainly youth) in the so-calleu ieu list
anu applies to them a special iegime of limitation of fieeuom of movement.

The case of Saikhan Nuzaev is a goou example of above-uesciibeu piactice of limitation of fieeuom of
movement. Accoiuing to the explanations that Saikhan Nuzaev gave to ENC, in }anuaiy anu Febiuaiy 2u14 he
was going on a stuuy visit to the 0K, anu although all of his uocuments weie in oiuei, in Tbilisi Aiipoit he was
not alloweu to uepait anu was given no explanations. Be tiieu to cioss the boiuei 6 times but in vain. Notably,
facts of aibitiaiy anu unjustifieu limitation of fieeuom of movement foi the Nuslims weie iepoiteu back in
August 2u1S. Woith mentioning in this iespect is the Piiuz Tsulukiuze case, who has expeiienceu a similai
pioblem when leaving the teiiitoiy of ueoigia (as explaineu in section S.4.S).

Evaluation of the uiaft Law initiateu by the NIA on 19 Septembei 2u1S is impoitant foi analyzing the
uiscusseu pioblem anu the policy puisueu by the NIA in this iespect. The uiaft Law intenueu to supplement
the Law of ueoigia "on the Pioceuuie foi Exiting anu Enteiing ueoigia by the citizens of ueoigia". Puisuant to
the initiateu bill, the new Sub-Paiagiaph 'u' was to be auueu to Aiticle 1u of the Law, accoiuing to which a
citizen of ueoigia may have been uenieu a ueoigian passpoit oi the extension of a passpoit in oiuei to exit
countiy tempoiaiily oi to cioss the state boiuei. Such a iefusal woulu have been ueciueu "in view of inteiests
of the state anuoi piotection of public safety". The initiateu uiaft Law uemonstiateu the Ninistiy's intention
to legalize a piactice of aibitiaiy limitation of fieeuom of movement, which inuiiectly exposeu the absence of
legal giounus foi such limitation. Bue to a sheei conflict with the human iights stanuaius, the initiateu bill was
not auopteu, but iiiespective of the absence of ielevant lawful giounus, the fieeuom of movement of a ceitain
gioup of ueoigian citizens is still being limiteu touay.

The effective legislation (Aiticle 1u of the Law of ueoigia "on the Pioceuuie foi Exiting anu Enteiing ueoigia
by the citizens of ueoigia") exhaustively lists cases when a peison may be uenieu the exit fiom oi entiy into
the teiiitoiy of ueoigia. At the occasion of these cases of limitation of movement, the Ninistiy uiu not iefei to
any of conuitions stipulateu by the Law, anu in fact, any such iefeience woulu have been iiielevant.
16
=)$B.;%#)$

To concluue baseu on the above-uesciibeu facts anu assessments, the NIA's policies aimeu at uuly ensuiing
fieeuom of ieligion foi all weie inauequate anu unfaii. In light of the extieme impoitance of assuiing a
thoiough piotection of minoiity iights, which aie still a sensitive issue foi the ueoigian public, the law-
enfoicement authoiities neeu to ieconsiuei these policies. In this iespect, the NIA must stiictly obseive the
iequiiement of ieligious neutiality anu uevelop an effective policy of fight against ciimes committeu on the
giounus of ieligious hatieu. Lastly, the NIA must conuuct timely, effective anu tianspaient investigation of
penuing ciiminal pioceeuings on ciimes committeu baseu on ieligious intoleiance.





17
L@ E;'3,#..-$B, -$A M#',&-<<#$1

L@8@ =;'',$& G'-B&#B,

The iuling paity that won the majoiity at the 2u12 pailiamentaiy elections has piomiseu to set up stiong
mechanisms in oiuei to iestiain illegal suiveillance anu wiietapping, but a yeai anu a half aftei coming to
powei no substantial steps have been taken to cieate institutional mechanisms to ensuie the piotection of
peisonal uata. 0nfoitunately, theie weie even cases of illegal use of obtaineu images against conciete
inuiviuuals.
L@6@ "-$-1#$1 &F, /'BF#3, D#%B)3,',A #$ &F, "+/

Aftei the pailiamentaiy elections in 2u12, 28687 files obtaineu by illegal suiveillance anu wiietapping
iecoiuings weie uiscoveieu in the electionic system of the NIA, the bulk of which uepicteu meetings, offices
anu iesiuential houses of membeis of the authoiities, membeis anu leauing officials of opposition paities, as
well as opposition-minueu public iepiesentatives. Pait of the uiscoveieu uate weie peisonal intimacy
iecoiuings

0n 1S August 2u1S, the uoveinment of ueoigia has set up a Commission,
28
which mainly aimeu at iegisteiing
anu analyzing this mateiial anu ueciue ovei uestiucting oi aichiving these mateiials. The Commission
consisteu of iepiesentatives fiom the uoveinment, the mass meuia anu the Nu0 sectoi.

0n S Septembei 2u1S, the Commission has publicly uestioyeu 11u electionic uisks containing uetails of the
intimate life of peisons unuei suiveillance. J/%K.%-.5$-( -*'( #()/#<.%2& C(#( &(%- -/ -:( .%6(&-.2$-./% C.-:
.%&-#8)-./% -/ .<(%-.H* '(#&/%& #(&'/%&.G0( H/# )$##*.%2 /8- .00(2$0 &8#6(.00$%)( /H .%<.6.<8$0&3 G8- -:( #(&80-& /H
.%6(&-.2$-./% $#( &-.00 8%L%/C%F

The final activity iepoit of the Inteiim Commission woiking on issues of illegal suiveillance anu seciet
iecoiuings was posteu on the web page of the NIA on S1 }anuaiy 2u14,
29
wheie it was noteu that the majoi
poition of the auuioviueo anu photo mateiial stoieu on electionic uiives uepicteu the meetings, offices anu
iesiuential houses of activists anu leauing officials of opposition paities, as well as opposition-minueu public
iepiesentatives. Fuithei, the Commission coulu not iuentify even one official uocument confiiming the
lawfulness of the uiscoveieu viueo, auuio anu photo footages. It seems that in most of the cases the uata weie
obtaineu thiough laige-scale anu gioss bieaches of the law iequiiements. Wiietapping of telephone
conveisations anu installing of ieseive suiveillance viueo cameias in vaiious places seiveu as one of the
methous foi collecting uiscieuitable mateiials.

E0-:/82: -:( H.%$0 #('/#- /H -:( >/55.&&./% &-$-(< -:$- -:( &-$-( &:/80< %/- 0($6( $ &.%20( )$&( /H .00(2$0
.%-(#H(#(%)( .%-/ '#.6$-( 0.H( C.-:/8- #(&'/%&(3 -:( #('/#- <.< %/- .%)08<( -:( <.&&(%-.%2 /'.%./% /H -:( .%<.6.<8$0
5(5G(#& /H -:( >/55.&&./% B$&:$ "82:8&:.3 M$L:$ M$L:.&:6.0. $%< ;L$ 1.2$8#.3 C:.): .%)08<(< )/%)#(-(
#()/55(%<$-./%& H/# $5(%<.%2 -:( )8##(%- 0(2.&0$-./% .% /#<(# -/ $6/.< .00(2$0 &8#6(.00$%)( $%< C.#(-$''.%2 .%
-:( H8-8#( .% 6.(C /H -:( G(&- .%-(#%$-./%$0 '#$)-.)(&F



28
Resolution on setting up the Commission. http://www.government.gov.ge/files/276_37974_104398_206150813.pdf.
29
Final activity report of the Interim Commission Working on Issues of Illegal Surveillance and Secret Recordings,
available at: http://police.ge/files/pdf/saboloo%20angariSi%20.pdf.
18
L@I@ S.-BT S)U,% #$ &F, >**#B,% )* ")5#., ><,'-&)'%

The uemanu of the inuiviuual membeis of the Commission conceining the neeu to auopt numbei of legislative
amenuments was baseu not only on the uiscoveiy of illegally obtaineu iecoiuings, but the fact that following
theii uiscoveiy, the Fiist Beputy of then Ninistei of Inteiioi uhaiibashvili, uela Khveueliuze, has illegally
uisseminateu Inteinet viueo footages of the jouinalist's peisonal life foi peisonal motives. This fact once again
attests a potential high iisk of illegal uissemination by the law-enfoicement authoiities of mateiials obtaineu
fiom seciet suiveillance. ,-( (.#/%($0( "+ /)(0#12 342105 4".(/3 #$/%122(6 47 %-( 89: 1$6 21;<($+"*0(=($%
1>%-"*#%#(/? ;-#0- ($142( %-(= %" -1@( %"%1227 >$0"$%*"22(6 6#*(0% 100(// %" %-( 61%1 "+ 0"==>$#01%#"$
")(*1%"*/ 1$6 122 %7)(/ "+ 0"==>$#01%#"$ 4(%;(($ )*#@1%( #$6#@#6>12/? #/ 1 )*(@1#2#$A )*"42(=. The
uigency to iegulate anu iesolve this issue is uiscusseu by the E0 Special Auvisei on Constitutional anu Legal
Refoim anu Buman Rights in ueoigia Thomas Bammaibeig in his annual iepoit !1(/#2.$ .% "#$%&.-./% K
N$)L2#/8%<3 O-('& "$L(% $%< 9(5$.%.%2 >:$00(%2(&!F
PQ


L@L@ D#%%,4#$-&#)$ )* G'#3-&, C#*, -$A >&F,' Y#A,) +4-1,% -$A :**,B&#3, +$3,%&#1-&#)$

Following the above-mentioneu inciuent, the then Ninistei of Inteiioi Iiakli uhaiibashvili has announceu the
aiiest of uela Khveueliuze. The investigation against uela Khveueliuze was launcheu unuei Section S of Aiticle
1S7 of the Ciiminal Coue of ueoigia - illegal infiingement upon piivate seciet by a peison obligateu to piotect
this seciet uue to an official position.

Baseu on the piosecution's iequest, on 1S Nay 2u1S uela Khveueliuze was offeieu a bail as a pieventive
measuie anu was ieleaseu fiom the penitentiaiy institution. At the pie-tiial heaiing on 26 Septembei 2u1S,
uela Khveueliuze uiu not pleau guilty,
S1
while his uefense attoiney has at the same tiial iefuseu to examine the
case on meiits uue to the absence of the piosecution's eviuence. The couit has iejecteu this motion anu
cuiiently the case is consiueieu on meiits with uela Khveueliuze uenying the chaiges.

0n 19 Becembei 2u12, the Chaiiman of the Supieme Couit maue a special statement conceining the attempt
of iepiesentatives of the NIA's special seivice to influence the assistant of one of the juuges of the Tbilisi City
Couit. Accoiuing to Konstantine Kublashvili, the iepiesentatives of the special seivice have contacteu the
juuge's assistant on 1S Becembei 2u12 anu offeieu a ceitain amount in exchange foi coopeiation, as well as
thieateneu to uisclose some facts of hei piivate life. The Chaiiman of the Supieme Couit has hanueu ovei the
iespective mateiials to the Chief Piosecutoi's 0ffice of ueoigia anu uemanueu timely investigation of the case.
Regaiuless of this well-known fact, the iesults of investigation aie still unknown.

0n 2u }une 2u1S, the NIA showeu the civil society anu meuia iepiesentatives at a closeu-uoois meeting the
viueo footage of toituie uiscoveieu in a special seciet place in Samegielo. Seveial Nu0 iepiesentatives left the
scieening in sign of piotest. Afteiwaius similai scieenings weie oiganizeu foi the membeis of the Tbilisi
Sakiebulo ().-* )/8%).0) anu the images weie shown to iepiesentatives of the uiplomatic coips as well. The
ieason behinu showing these images to vaiious public gioups is uncleai. The Ninistiy has not pioviueu any
legitimate puipose oi cause.

Bespite numeious high-piofile cases, at this moment effective investigation has mostly not been caiiieu out.
Peisons iesponsible foi intiouucing piactices infiinging upon piivate life have not been iuentifieu anu helu

30
http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/georgia/documents/news/20130920_report_ka.pdf.
31
http://news.ge/ge/news/story/65109-khvedelidze-tavs-damnashaved-ar-tsnobs.

19
liable.

Seveial high officials of the NIA's Constitutional Secuiity Bepaitment weie uetaineu on 1S Novembei 2u12
foi unauthoiizeu wiietapping. Accoiuing to the foimei Chief Piosecutoi Aichil Kbilashvili, a computei viius
softwaie hau been uevelopeu, which maue it possible to access the computei of an online usei, obtain
infoimation stoieu, anu to caiiy out auuio anu viueo suiveillance in the iooms wheie the computei was
locateu. Aichil Kbilashvili stateu that thiough the uevelopeu softwaie the leaueiship of the Constitutional
Secuiity Bepaitment was illegally accessing the computei systems of iepiesentatives of vaiious political
paities anu ieligious oiganizations anu caiiying out unauthoiizeu suiveillance.

Latei, on 22 Novembei 2u12, the Tbilisi Appellate Couit has substituteu the impiisonment sentence applieu
as pieventive measuie against foui officials of the NIA uetaineu foi the above chaiges with bail. 0nuei the
couit iuling, the foimei Beau of the Constitutional Secuiity Bepaitment Levan Kaiuava was ieleaseu fiom
couitioom in exchange foi bail of the amount of Su, uuu uEL. The Beputy Beau of the Constitutional Secuiity
Bepaitment uioigi Kavlashvili was offeieu a bail of 1S,uuu uEL, while vasil }amalashvili S,uuu uEL, uioigi
}avakhiuze 1u,uuu uEL anu Avtanuil Solomnishvili S,uuu uEL.

N@ E&-** ?;'$)3,' #$ &F, "+/ -*&,' &F, 6786 :.,B&#)$%

N@8@ 2,H E&-** J,B';#&4,$& G')B,A;',

An impoitant event ielateu to the peisonnel policy of the NIA at the outset of 2u1S was the issuing of the 2S
}anuaiy 2u1S 0iuei NS9 of the Ninistei of Inteiioi of ueoigia,
S2
which has changeu the pioceuuies iegulating
seveial peisonnel issues in the police anu maue it possible to appoint oi piomote peisons to the positions of
platoon leauei oi a highei official of the Patiol Police Bepaitment, Beau oi Beputy Beau of the 0peiative Sub-
0nit, uetective-investigatoi, senioi uistiict inspectoi-investigatoi, boiuei-contiollei anu seveial othei
impoitant posts without unueitaking the piofessional leaining piogiam anu tiaining couises.

Amenuing this pioceuuie woulu cieate the possibility foi appointing oi piomoting a peison to the police staff
without any pieliminaiy tiaining anu ielevant examination. The Ninistei's 0iuei was in effect until S1 Naich
2u1S. Although the 0iuei was in effect foi a limiteu peiiou, it containeu significant iisks. In paiticulai, theie
was a iisk of ieciuiting the police officeis who woulu not meet ielevant iequiiements anu woulu not possess
appiopiiate knowleuge oi expeiience.

Fuithei, legitimate questions aiouse as to the ieasons foi tempoiaiily uisiegaiuing the iequiieu piofessional
leaining piogiams anu tiaining couises. "Tianspaiency Inteinational ueoigia" has auuiesseu
SS
the Ninistei of
Inteiioi with question conceining the ieasons foi issuing this 0iuei.

The NIA has pioviueu iesponse to the oiganization's questions in a lettei on Naich 7
th
2u1S. .
S4
The lettei
stateu that the Ninistiy's system was unueigoing funuamental changes: the Special 0peiative Bepaitment
(S0B) has joineu the Ciiminal Police, anu unueitaking special leaining piogiams in S0B was not necessaiy.
Accoiuing to the NIA, unueitaking of leaining piogiams iequiieu ceitain amount of time anu cieateu
pioblems in teims of filling the iegulai staff numbeis. The NIA's lettei talkeu also about expanuing the

32
http://transparency.ge/sites/default/files/post_attachments/!"#$%&!$%2039.pdf.
33
http://transparency.ge/sites/default/files/post_attachments/TI%20Georgia's%20Letter.pdf.
34
http://transparency.ge/sites/default/files/post_attachments/MIA's%20Response.pdf.
20
patiolling zones of the Patiol Police anu the neeu foi the extia-enfoiceu ciews, which iequiieu taking uigent
anu efficient measuies. The lettei also states that the Ninistiy has caiiieu out testing to evaluate the level of
knowleuge, qualification, piofessional skills anu tiaining of the Ninistiy's staff. Intensive tiaining of the staff
was planneu baseu on the test iesults. The Ninistiy's lettei finally noteu that the Ninistei's 0iuei NS9 was in
full compliance with the law.

Notwithstanuing the Ninistiy's position, it shoulu be noteu that the special couises anu leaining piogiams
seive as gaining of piofessional skills anu knowleuge, as well as impaitial ieciuitment of qualifieu cauies.
Single-hanueu uisiegaiu foi piofessional leaining piogiams anu tiaining couises has tempoiaiily suspenueu
pieconuitions of impaitial ieciuitment, thus incieasing the iisks of biaseu uecisions anu nepotism.

N@6@ G,'%)$$,. G).#B#,% +4<.,4,$&,A #$ &F, "#$#%&'( -*&,' &F, :.,B&#)$%

"Tianspaiency Inteinational ueoigia" has uiafteu a iepoit
SS
on peisonnel changes caiiieu out in the civil
seivice aftei the 2u12 pailiamentaiy elections until Naich 2u1S. This iepoit has stuuieu the statistics of
seivants appointeu anu uismisseu within the NIA.

Ceitain uifficulties have aiisen in the piocess of iequesting public infoimation. Apait fiom giossly violating
the teims establisheu foi pioviuing the iesponse, the Ninistiy's foui-month late iesponse was incomplete as
it answeieu only thiee questions out of the authois' 1S.

Accoiuing to the pioviueu infoimation, a &)&-. )* \]^ ,4<.)(,,% H,', A#%4#%%,A *')4 &F, "#$#%&'( -$A
&F, .,1-. ,$&#&#,% )* <;5.#B .-H _C:GC` %;5)'A#$-&, &) #&. Su2 of them have iesigneu at theii own
initiative. 1u12 new employees weie ieciuiteu in the Ninistiy ovei the iepoiting peiiou. As noteu above, the
Ninistiy has not explaineu the basis foi appointing civil seivants; theiefoie, the status of these appointeu
peisons is unknown. Bowevei, theie aie giounus to assume that the majoiity consists of staff appointeu in
consiueiation of the 2S }anuaiy 2u1S 0iuei NS9
S6
of the Ninistei of Inteiioi of ueoigia. This 0iuei was in
effect until S1 Naich 2u1S anu maue it possible to appoint oi piomote a peison to a police officei without
any pieliminaiy tiaining anu ielevant examination.
S7


N@I@ /<<)#$&4,$& )* K)'4,' Z#1F >**#B#-.% )* &F, "+/ #$ >&F,' E&-&, /1,$B#,%

0n 1S Becembei 2u1S the Piime Ninistei of ueoigia Iiakli uhaiibahsvili piesenteu nine new goveinois.
S8

Remaikably, seveial foimei officials of the NIA weie appointeu as goveinois:

1. Foimei Beau of the Samtskhe-}avakheti Regional Bepaitment of the NIA's State Secuiity Agency
(Bepaitment) Akaki Nachutauze became the E-4&%TF,PQ-3-TF,&# 0)3,'$)';

35
Personnel Policies in Civil Service after the 2012 Elections, "Transparency International - Georgia, 12 August 2013.
http://transparency.ge/post/press-release/sakadro-politika-sajaro-samsakhurshi-2012-tslis-saparlamento-archevnebis-
shemdeg.
36
http://goo.gl/mWDF0.
37
In detail about this Order please see the blog-post of "Transparency International Georgia":
http://transparency.ge/blog/shss-shi-kadrebis-aqvanis-protsedura-droebit-martivdeba.
38
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEAfJ6xO75E last seen on 13.02.2014.

21
2. Levan Shonia, appointeu as the Samegielo-Zemo Svaneti Regional Beau aftei the 2u12 pailiamentaiy
elections, was nominateu as the E-4,1',.)PR,4) E3-$,&# 0)3,'$)';
S. Foimei Beau of the Westein Regional Bepaitment of the NIA's State Secuiity Agency (Bepaitment)
Zaza Nepaiishvili became the +4,',&# 0)3,'$)'.

Along with piesentation of the uoveinois, Akaki Chkhenkeli was nominateu as the new Beau of the
uoveinment Chancelleiy Bepaitment foi Relations with Regions anu Local Authoiities, who was the Fiist
Beputy Beau of Bepaitment of the NIA's ueneial Inspection when Iiakli uhaiibashvili seiveu as the Ninistei.

It is notewoithy also that the foimei officials of the NIA have been appointeu as Beputy Ninisteis in the othei
ministiies. Beputy Ninistei of Befense Aleksi Batiashvili was the Beputy Ninistei of Inteiioi fiom Su 0ctobei
2u12 until 2S Novembei 2u1S, while the Beputy Ninistei of }ustice Aleksanuie Tabatauze seiveu as the
Beputy Ninistei of Inteiioi in 2u12.

Notably, tiansfeiiing piofessional cauies fiom one agency to anothei in geneial is not a violation anu is in full
compliance with the law, but ceitain uoubts aiise because of the tienu, accoiuing to which the foimei NIA
officials weie appointeu as the State uoveinois anu Beputy Ninisteis iight aftei the foimei Ninistei of
Inteiioi Iiakli uhaiibashvili became the countiy's Piime Ninistei. This fact may contiibute to the
monopolization of the uoveinment's management system.


22
[@ :3-.;-&#)$ )* +$A#3#A;-. G')5.,4-&#B =-%,%

[@8@ ?F, G).#B, J-#A%

In August 2u1S, citizens weie massively stoppeu anu checkeu foi seveial uays in Tbilisi. Buiing the iaius,
peuestiians as well as tianspoit means weie iegulaily seaicheu anu the peisonal uocumentation of citizens
weie checkeu. Accoiuing to the uisseminateu infoimation, in seveial cases the police officeis weie wiiting
uown infoimation on the citizens anu took pictuies of checkeu peisons with mobiles. The NIA has uubbeu
these police iaius as a pieventive measuie, which, the NIA claimeu lasteu foi a week anu aimeu at iuentifying
giave offences.
S9


Aiticle 22 of the Constitution of ueoigia guaiantees the iight to fieeuom of movement. Accoiuing to this
aiticle, "Eveiyone legally within the teiiitoiy of ueoigia shall, within thioughout the teiiitoiy of the countiy,
have the iight to libeity of movement." Limiting oi iemoving a peison's fieeuom of movement is a substantial
inteifeience to the inviolability of inuiviuual libeity secuieu unuei Aiticle 18 of the Constitution. Buman
libeity implies hishei physical libeity anu hishei iight to fieely move, accoiuing to hishei own will. Buman
libeity is hishei libeity of movement in a naiiow sense.

Puisuant to the Law of ueoigia "on the Police", iaius can be oiganizeu baseu on the giounus stipulateu by the
ciiminal pioceuuial legislation anu legislation on auministiative offences. The Ciiminal Pioceuuie Coue of
ueoigia sets the ciicumstances foi caiiying out the seaich anu iemoval. Theiefoie, in oiuei foi the seaich anu
iemoval to be caiiieu out within legal scopes, it is ciucial that eveiy police officei is guiueu by the Ciiminal
Pioceuuie Coue, in accoiuance to which the aim of seaich is to uiscovei oi iemove an object, uocument,
substance oi othei object containing infoimation that is significant foi the case. Conuucting the seaich anu
iemoval is possible also foi uiscoveiing a wanteu peison oi a coipse. Seaich anu iemoval shoulu be caiiieu
out baseu on substantiateu assumption, which is uefineu by the same Coue as: unity of facts anu infoimation,
which in conjunction with ciicumstances of a given ciiminal case woulu suffice an objective peison to
concluue that a peison hau potentially committeu a ciime; an eviuentiaiy stanuaiu piesciibeu foi conuucting
an investigative action anuoi applying a pieventive measuie uiiectly stipulateu by this Coue. Consiueiing a
mass seaich of peisons ianuomly selecteu by police officeis as being baseu on substantiateu assumptions is
theiefoie unieasonable. Stopping anu seaiching citizens massively cieates substantial uoubts that the
policemen weie not seaiching foi a peison who hau committeu a conciete ciime oi some othei offenuei to
eventually make an aiiest, but weie selecting anu seaiching inuiviuuals at ianuom.

The statement of the NIA about iaius as pieventive natuies attests of the failuie of unueitaken measuies to
comply with the above-uesciibeu iequiiement of the law. Such a pieventive measuie contiauicts lawful
puiposes.

In auuition, accoiuing to the Paiagiaph S of Aiticle 9' of the Law of ueoigia "on the Police", "a police officei is
obligateu to let the stoppeu peison know about hishei iuentity, show a uocument confiiming uue
authoiization anu explain the iight to challenge the lawfulness anu justification of stopping."

Accoiuing to oui infoimation, on seveial occasions the law-enfoiceis have violateu this iequiiement of the
law. Accoiuingly, we finu these measuies weie illegal anu in bieach of the citizens' constitutional iights anu

39
Statement of NGOs on the raids: http://transparency.ge/post/general-announcement/arasamtavrobo-organizatsiata-
ertoblivi-gantskhadeba-bolo-periodshi-politsi.

23
fieeuoms.

Releaseu infoimation claimeu that the police officeis in question went aftei the jouinalist of Tv Company
Tabula, who was iecoiuing the iaiu. They have seaicheu the jouinalist anu maue hei uelete the viueo footage
foicefully. 0nuei the legislation of ueoigia, obstiucting a jouinalist's piofessional activities is a ciime, hence
iequiiing auequate investigation anu inquiiy. Tabula has auuiesseu the NIA anu iequesteu to investigate this
fact, but accoiuing to the Ninistiy, any offence in this paiticulai case coulu not be iuentifieu anu theiefoie
auequate iesponse has not followeu.

BCDC K',,A)4 )* J,.#1#)$ _3#..-1, =F,.-W /TF-.&%#TF,W ,&B@`

":( G(:$6./# /H -:( >8&-/5 4('$#-5(%- <8#.%2 -:( >:(0$ $%< Akhaltsikhe ,%).<(%-

The Chela anu Akhaltsikhe inciuent has been examineu in section S.4.2. This section will theiefoie pioviue foi
a legal analysis foi the behavioi of the Custom Bepaitment uuiing the Inciuent. Repiesentatives of vaiious
Nu0s incluuing the "ueoigian Bemociatic Initiative" have obseiveu the uevelopments in Chela anu
Akhaltsikhe, following which a joint legal assessment of this fact has been piouuceu.

Neasuie taken by the Customs Bepaitment of the Revenue Seivice was illegal, unjustifieu, anu in bieach of the
piopeity iight of the minaiet's ownei anu fieeuom of ieligion of the Nuslim population.

0n 14 }uly 2u1S, }ambul Abulauze impoiteu in ueoigia the minaiet (assembleu constiuction) in a uissembleu
conuition, piouuceu in Tuikey.

In the customs ueclaiation the applicant noteu that the goou impoiteu by him was a mobile house, the coue of
which unuei the National Piouuct Classifiei foi Foieign-Economic Activities is 94u6 uu 11u uu.

In accoiuance to the Tax Coue of ueoigia, uuiing the custom cleaiance of goous the applicant is obligateu
(save exceptions pioviueu in the legislation) to pay the vAT anu the impoit tax.

Taking into account that the goou was piouuceu in Tuikey, anu the Fiee Tiaue Agieement between ueoigia
anu Tuikey has enteieu in foice since 2uu7, goous piouuceu in the Republic of Tuikey aie not taxeu by an
impoit tax. Accoiuingly, vAT was the only tax that the applicant hau to pay.

Accoiuing to Aiticle 169.1 of the Tax Coue of ueoigia, the iate of a vAT equals 18 peicent of the customs
value. Puisuant to Paiagiaph 1 of Aiticle 21S of the same Coue, ueteimining a customs value of the piouuct
means its estimation on the uay of ueclaiing the piouuct.

0nuei Paiagiaph 2 of the same aiticle, the applicant ueteimines the piouuct's customs value. The Revenue
Seivice contiols the accuiacy the estimateu piouuct's customs value, anu in case it uisagiees with the ueclaieu
customs value, it makes the ueteimination by itself.

Paiagiaph S of this aiticle sets foith the following methous foi ueteimining the customs value:
a) By a tiansaction value (fiist methou);
b) By the value of tiansaction on iuentical goous (seconu methou);
c) By the value of tiansaction on similai goous (thiiu methou);
u) By a piouuct unit piice (fouith methou);
e) By a composite value (fifth methou);
24
f) By a ieseive methou (sixth methou).

Paiagiaph 4 of Aiticle 21S of the Tax Coue stipulates that each successive methou shoulu be applieu if a
pievious methou cannot be applieu in a justifieu mannei.

In view of legislative iegulations in foice, }ambul Abulauze hau to pay 18% of customs value of goous ueclaieu
by him. Accoiuing to the available infoimation, customs value of the piouuct, aftei applying the fiist value
ueteimination methou, was 9uuu 0SB (piice inuicateu in the invoice).

Puisuant to legislative iequiiements, the applicant has paiu the tax anu cleaieu the piouuct, following which
he tiansfeiieu it in the owneiship of thiiu peisons.

Accoiuing to the statement of the Revenue Seivice, "the analysis of uocuments has leu to a substantiateu
uoubt that the incoiiect classification of the piouuct in the customs ueclaiation anu its attachments may
ieuuce the volume of impoit taxes. Establishing the amount of such ieuuction without physical inspection anu
the ielevant expeit opinion is impossible." This veiy ciicumstance was the foimal basis foi uismantling the
minaiet.

As alieauy noteu, goous piouuceu in the Republic of Tuikey aie not subject to taxation by an impoit tax.
Accoiuingly, iiiespective of the weight anu classification of this piouuct, it shoulu have been exempt fiom an
impoit tax.

As foi the vAT, it equals 18% of a customs value in all cases, anu the customs value in this paiticulai case was
alieauy ueteimineu anu paiu by applying the fiist customs value ueteimination methou.

Shoulu the customs authoiity have questioneu the accuiacy of the customs value thiough application of the
fiist methou, it shoulu have fiist applieu the seconu value ueteimination methou, then the thiiu, etc. At the
same time, when applying each successive methou it shoulu have justifieu the failuie to ueteimine the
customs value by means of a pievious methou.

The 2u August 2u1S 0iuei NS9828 of the Acting Beau of the Customs Bepaitment of the Revenue Seivice of
the Ninistiy of Finance vlauimei Khunuauze, baseu on which the post-cleaiance fielu inspection was caiiieu
out, is silent on the failuie to ueteimine the customs value by applying the pieceuing methou.

Fuitheimoie, even if the applicant hau wiongly maikeu the classifiei (ex: a mobile house insteau of a metal
constiuction), this shoulu not have hau any effect on the tax amount, because it still must have been calculateu
by 18% of the customs value.

All of the above cleaily illustiates that the applicant has not concealeu any taxes fiom the state buuget anu he
hau fully fulfilleu tax liabilities imposeu on him by the legislation of ueoigia, while the statement ieleaseu by
the Revenue Seivice seems aimeu to misleau the public.

Paiagiaph 2 of Aiticle 214 of the Tax Coue of ueoigia pioviues foi the foim of customs contiol such as the
post-cleaiance inspection.

Chaptei XXv of the "Instiuction on the Novement anu Cleaiance of uoous in the Customs Teiiitoiy of ueoigia"
sets auuitional iegulations in iespect of this inspection.


25
Paiagiaph 1 of Aiticle 112 of this Instiuction lists exhaustive giounus foi caiiying out the post-cleaiance
inspection. The 0iuei issueu by the Acting Beau of the Customs Bepaitment uoes not iefei to any of the
giounus foi caiiying out the post-cleaiance inspection puisuant to Paiagiaph 1 of Aiticle 112, which
stiengthens the suspicion that the Customs seivice lackeu uue lawful giounus foi caiiying out the inspection.

Paiagiaph 1 of Aiticle 11S of the same Instiuction obligates the tax authoiity to notify the applicant oi othei
iesponsible peison about the inspection 1u business uays piioi to launching the post-cleaiance fielu
inspection. Available uocumentation pioves that such notification was ueliveieu to }ambul Abulauze's spouse
on 21 August 2u1S, while uismantling took place on August 26. This action has manifestly violateu the legal
iequiiement.

Paiagiaph S of Aiticle 11S of the Instiuction pioviues an exhaustive list of poweis enjoyeu by the ielevant
agency uuiing the post-cleaiance inspection. These poweis aie the following:
a) To iequest fiom an applicant oi othei iesponsible peison the submission of uocumentation ielating
to the impoit anuoi expoit opeiations of ueclaieu goous, iegistiation (accounting) uata on goous-mateiial
assets, anuoi othei infoimation;
b) To obtain fiom an applicant oi othei iesponsible peison oi hishei authoiizeu iepiesentative (who
possesses ielevant uocumentation anuoi infoimation) wiitten anu veibal explanations on the issues iaiseu
uuiing the fielu inspection;
c) To obseive the activities of an applicant anuoi othei iesponsible peison, inspect the goous, take a
test anuoi sample.

The action of the Customs Bepaitment has cleaily exceeueu the authoiity gianteu to it by the law. The
minaiet, which was alieauy installeu, was not a goou but was an essential constituent pait of alieauy existing
othei immovable object. At the same time, uuiing the inspection the piopeity of anothei thiiu peison (Bavit
Chogauze) anu not the applicant (oi othei iesponsible peison) was tiespasseu. It is obvious that the law-
enfoicement agencies uiu not have this authoiity.

Statements that the state officials weie making in paiallel with the uesciibeu piocesses weie especially
uistuibing. The Ninistei of }ustice has expiesseu an alaiming position on the uevelopments in Chela. She
stateu that the Nuslims coulu piay without minaiets as well, while with the phiase - "ueoigia will have to
ueciue if theie shoulu be minaiets in the countiy" - she has in fact questioneu the possibility of ieligious
minoiities to constiuct theii veiy place of woiship. Statements of the State Ninistei foi Reintegiation Issues
aie equally uistuibing, as she (what uoes it mean.) anu has not founu it necessaiy to view the issue in a
"ieligious context". Such appioach of the high officials towaius similai sensitive issues seiiously enuangeis
cuiient situation in teims of ieligious toleiance in the countiy anu the fulfilment of the fieeuom of ieligion.

0nfoitunately, the uisciiminatoiy appioach uisplayeu by the state towaius cases of infiingement upon the
iights of the ieligious minoiities thioughout 2u1S, left the issue without uue ieaction. Inappiopiiate
statements oi actions have iesulteu in a systemic iestiiction of the iights of the Nuslim population, which
iepiesent a seveie bieach to theii iight to fieeuom of ieligion.

R./0(%)( $2$.%&- -:( S(:/6$:T& U.-%(&&(& - uuiing the iepoiting peiiou, bieaches of fieeuom of ieligion have
occuiieu in iespect of the }ehovah's Witnesses as well. Accoiuing to uisseminateu infoimation, thiee
}ehovah's Witnesses weie beaten in Batumi on 26 0ctobei 2u1S. They weie attackeu also in 0zuigeti, wheie
the glasses of the }ehovah's Witnesses' cais weie bioken anu they weie uepiiveu of possibility to conuuct a
ieligious iite. }ehovah's Witnesses have expeiienceu pioblems in village Kheltubani of the uoii Nunicipality,
wheie the 0ithouox population of the village uiu not allow them to builu a house. Lawyei of the }ehovah's
26
Witnesses claimeu ieligious faith was the ieason of the confiontation. Buiing the inciuent, }ehovah's
Witnesses weie veibally insulteu.

The state caiiies a positive obligation, which implies unueitaking effective measuies by the state authoiities
aimeu at avoiuing the iisk of any infiingement upon the iight to fieeuom of ieligious. Accoiuingly, it is vital
that the state auequately anu timely ieacts to all above-uesciibeu inciuents anu holus the offenueis liable.


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Effective human iights mechanisms must exist within the state institutions in oiuei to stiengthen the iule of
law piinciple anu piotect human iights anu fieeuoms. Significant in this iespect in ueoigia is the institute of
Public Befenuei, which at the same time executes the functions of the national pievention mechanism
foieseen by the 0ptional Piotocol of the 0niteu Nations Convention against Toituie anu 0thei Ciuel, Inhuman
oi Begiauing Tieatment oi Punishment.

Accoiuing to the Kakheti Infoimation Centei, on 17 0ctobei 2u1S membeis of the Public Befenuei's special
pievention gioup weie foiceu to leave the uuty ioom of the NIA's Sagaiejo Bepaitment without getting
familiai with uocuments, uespite the fact that they hau uuly intiouuceu themselves to the Beputy Beau of this
Bepaitment uioigi Revazishvili anu showeu him official ceitificates. Releaseu viueo iecoiuing illustiate that
the state has obstiucteu the activities of the Public Befenuei's iepiesentatives.

Statement maue by the Beau of the NIA's Public Relations Bepaitment in connection with this inciuent on
0ctobei 18 totally uiffeis fiom the facts as uepicteu in the viueo iecoiuing. . The official commentaiy allegeu
that iepiesentatives of the Public Befenuei's auministiation have enteieu the uuty unit of the Sagaiejo Bistiict
Bepaitment without piesenting uocuments confiiming theii iepiesentation of the Public Befenuei oi without
intiouucing themselves veibally.

Puisuant to Aiticle 27 of the Law of ueoigia "on the Public Befenuei of ueoigia", the employees of the Public
Befenuei's auministiation exeicise poweis piesciibeu on this Law thiough a special powei of attoiney issueu
by the Public Befenuei of ueoigia. Within the scope of poweis piesciibeu by the Law, the tiustees of the
Public Befenuei enjoy uniestiicteu access to any state oi local authoiity, as well as othei places of uetention,
pie-tiial custouy anu iestiiction of libeity. Fuithei, Sub-Paiagiaph 'b' of Aiticle 18 of the Law "on the Public
Befenuei" giants the tiustees authoiity to iequest fiom ielevant agencies all uocuments anu othei mateiials
iequiieu foi the inspection, anu to ieceive explanations on the examineu issues fiom any official.

The state is obligateu to efficiently enfoice iegulations pioviueu by the law. The Public Befenuei's Institute is
one of the majoi key human iights piotection mechanisms in ueoigia. It is alaiming that this agency was
uepiiveu of the possibility to fieely execute the poweis gianteu by the law. We believe that eveiy case of
obstiuction of activities of the Public Befenuei iequiies impaitial appioach anu auequate iesponse fiom the
executive authoiities in oiuei to avoiu the encouiagement of the offenuei officials. Loyal appioach of the
authoiities towaius this fact unueimines the iule of law anu uamages effective piotection of human iights anu
fieeuoms in the countiy. We consiuei the investigation launcheu in ielation to this fact must be caiiieu out
timely anu effectively.





27
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Besciibeu below aie the cases in which the NIA staff have potentially committeu offences. Investigation is
launcheu into ceitain paits of these cases, but we aie not awaie of any case of holuing any NIA employee
liable. Ineffectiveness of investigation was often veiy appaient anu outwaiu. The case of Shio Kobiuze is one
of the cleaiest examples. Shio Kobiuze alleges that the police officeis have toituieu him on 27 0ctobei 2u1S.
Since then he tiieu with the attoiney's help to uiaw the law-enfoiceis' attention to this case by filing the
complaints oi oiganizing peisonal meetings. Yet, the investigation was not only effective but was not even
launcheu foi seveial months. The investigation was launcheu on 4 Febiuaiy 2u14, in seveial uays aftei
holuing a special piess confeience in uYLA on this case. It is unfoitunate also that the NIA iepiesentatives
tiieu to assess Nu0 activities aiounu this issue as an attempt to uiscieuit the system. Below we pioviue a biief
summaiy of conciete cases:
8@ S,T- -$A C-%F- 0)BF#-%F3#.# B-%,@
4u
Statement of the ueoigian pianist Beka uochiashvili was
ieleaseu in meuia on 14 }anuaiy 2u1S, in which he talkeu about psychological piessuie exeiciseu on him
uuiing his inteiiogation as a witness. Accoiuing to the uisseminateu infoimation, Beka uochiashvili anu his
biothei Lasha uochiashvili weie inteiiogateu as witnesses on 8 }anuaiy 2u1S in the vake-Sabuitalo Sth 0nit
in ielation to a case of theft. The inteiiogation of minoi (16-yeais olu) Beka uochiashvili was attenueu by his
paient valeiian uochiashvili. In his statement, Beka uochiashvili talkeu about psychological piessuie anu
thieat exeiciseu against him as well as his biothei Lasha uochiashvili.
uYLA has once again contacteu Beka uochiashvili's fathei, who has confiimeu in an inteiview with
uYLA the facts of piessuie iepoiteu in Beka uochiashvili's statement. Be has noteu also that piessuie was
exeiciseu uuiing Beka's inteiiogation, exposeu in thieats of "impiisonment" anu "tuining the life into miseiy".
veibal insult anu the thieat of physical abuse weie iepoiteu against Lasha uochiashvili.

6@ C,3-$ a)'T)&-%F3#.# B-%,@
41
Levan Koikotashvili's family membeis have appioacheu the ueoigian
Young Lawyeis' Association on 9 0ctobei 2u1S, who claimeu that on 0ctobei 8, the employees of the NIA's
0lu Tbilisi Bepaitment #4 have aiiesteu Levan Koikotashvili with chaiges foi illegal puichase anu stoiage of
uiugs. Accoiuing to the applicants, uuiing the aiiest the police officeis have biutally beaten Levan
Koikotashvili anu causeu him vaiious bouy injuiies. Be was placeu in the tempoiaiy isolation waiu in the city
of Busheti anu iequiieu uigent meuical inteifeience uue to giave health conuition.
uYLA's lawyei has visiteu uetaineu Levan Koikotashvili, who tolu the following stoiy: on 0ctobei 8, he
was in boiough Tskneti at the bus stop, when the NIvA vehicle appioacheu him. Police officeis sitting in the
cai have askeu him to get in the cai anu to follow them, anu when Koikotashvili askeu foi the ieason, the
police officeis became aggiessive, got out of the cai anu staiteu beating him without iemoise. Because of
beating, Koikotashvili was suffeiing giave injuiies on extiemities, the face aiea, his iight hanu was swollen,
anu the lowei jaw was injuieu.
Levan Koikotashvili claimeu that he was taken afteiwaius to the police station, wheie he was foiceu
to aumit the ciime as of possessing uiugs uuiing uetention, but Koikotashvili uiu not aumit guilt uespite
physical anu psychological piessuie. Because of his aggiavating health conuition (his face began swelling anu
bleeuing), he was taken to the uhuuushauii Clinic, wheie he was given meuical emeigency tieatment.

I@ Y-%#. C)4%-AV, B-%,@
42
Nateiials of the vasil Lomsauze case stuuieu by uYLA's lawyeis pioviue the
following:

40
http://gyla.ge/geo/news?info=1370.
41
http://gyla.ge/geo/news?info=1753.
42
http://gyla.ge/geo/news?info=1817
28

Employees of the 2nu 0nit of the Rustavi City Bepaitment have uetaineu citizen vasil Lomsauze on 27 0ctobei
2u1S in Rustavi. Be is accuseu of committing the ciime unuei Section 1 of Aiticle SSS of the Ciiminal Coue of
ueoigia (attacking a police officei). As stateu in the inuictment, , on 27 0ctobei 2u1S, aiounu 21:Su in Rustavi,
in an aiea aujacent to N7 Balanchivauze Stieet, the Beputy Beau of the NIA's Rustavi City Bepaitment Zaal
Auamia was attackeu in connection with his official uuties by vasil Lomsauze, causing him a light bouy injuiy
without aggiavating his health conuition. 0n 29 0ctobei 2u1S, the Rustavi Bistiict Piosecutoi's 0ffice has
fileu a motion in the Rustavi City Couit anu iequesteu to impiison vasil Lomsauze as a pieventive measuie.
The couit has gianteu the motion of the Piosecutoi's 0ffice in pait anu offeieu a bail to Lomsauze as a
pieventive measuie insteau of impiisonment, which the Piosecutoi's 0ffice hau subsequently appealeu. The
Tbilisi Appellate Couit has uphelu the iuling of the Rustavi City Couit.

The stuuy of case mateiials has ievealeu numbei of gaps attesting to the investigation's bias, inefficiency anu
non-objectivity. In paiticulai:

1. Investigation was launcheu against vasil Lomsauze anu the Beputy Beau of the NIA's Rustavi City
Bepaitment Zaal Auamia was iecognizeu as a victim, wheieas vasil Lomsauze anu seveial eyewitnesses claim
that Lomsauze was a victim anu the police officeis hau beaten him. The uefense has questioneu A.A. as a
witness, accoiuing to who: "... it was cleai by this peison's face that he was teiiibly beaten, his nose was
bleeuing anu his entiie face was swollen. We askeu what was wiong. At this time that peison staiteu ciying
anu saiu that Zaal hau beaten him... aiounu 1u peisons have ian into the entiance hall, some of which woie
police unifoims anu some the civilian clothes. Seveial peisons in the police unifoim have iuuely giabbeu that
beaten peison anu staiteu beating him, anu then took him out of the entiance hall while still beating him.
When he was taken out of the entiance hall, the otheis have also iusheu to him anu staiteu beating him. Then
one of the peisons in civilian clothes has tuineu aiounu anu iuuely instiucteu us to get into the house, anu we
uiu so." The uefense has in auuition questioneu E.0., Z.K. anu u.K. as witnesses, who have also confiimeu that
the police officeis hau beaten vasil Lomsauze.

2. At the initiative of the uefense, meuical expeit examination was caiiieu out on Lomsauze at the
inuepenuent foiensic centei "vectoi". The conclusion of the examination has iuentifieu a closeu heau injuiy
anu biain concussion anu a magnetic iesonance tomogiaphy. Neuication tieatment unuei stiict neuiology
supeivision is iequiieu to heal the biain contusion anu iuptuies in facial bones. Lomsauze has been suffeiing
fiom injuiies in foim of bleeuing, swollen tissues on the left of his face, sub-conjunctival hemoiihage, anu the
contuseu wounu anu notches on the chin. Baseu on the above, in accoiuance with the cuiient uata vasil
Lomsauze has been suffeiing fiom numeious injuiies causeu by some fiim blunt objects.

S. Witness statements of two police officeis - Ivane Chokuii anu Nikheil Bakhutashvili - lack cieuibility anu
iaise questions. Notably, the iuling of the Rustavi City Couit also points this out, puisuant to which: "the
factual ciicumstances in the statements of these witnesses aie so consistent anu similai that even the
oithogiaphic mistakes aie the same".

4. Betaineu vasil Lomsauze was not tolu about his iights, owing to which the Ciiminal Pioceuuie Coue was
giossly violateu. The Rustavi City Couit has iejecteu the motion on impiisonment of vasil Lomsauze foi this
veiy ieason. The couit iuling states: "Not a single inteiiogation minutes pioves that his iights anu obligations
weie explaineu to the uetaineu vasil Lomsauze. ... Fiom the moment when the police officeis have iestiicteu
vasil Lomsauze's fieeuom of movement, he was consiueieu as uetaineu anu uefenuant, anu accoiuingly theie
was an obligation to cleaily explain to the uetainee the giounus of uetention, a ciime that he was accuseu of
having committeu , that he hau the iight to a uefense attoiney, anu the iight to iemain silent anu not to

29
answei any questions. ... The couit finus that the iequiiements of Aiticles 174 anu 17S of the Ciiminal
Pioceuuie Coue of ueoigia have been substantially violateu."

L@ D-3#& a-<-$-AV, B-%,@
4S
0n 8 0ctobei 2u1S, meuia have iepoiteu that the police officeis have beaten
Bavit Kapanauze, causing him a seiious bouy injuiy as a iesult. uYLA's iepiesentatives have visiteu Bavit
Kapanauze, whose iepoit contains signs of a ciime, namely:

Bavit Kapanauze, is a choieogiaphei anu woiks by piofession in two schools in Tbilisi. Be hau veibally
confionteu anothei choieogiaphei, T.Zh befoie the inciuent.

0n 29 Septembei 2u1S, a unfamiliai peison calleu on Kapanauze anu tolu him his name was Lasha
Tsnobilauze, T.Zh.'s son-in-law. Accoiuing to Kapanauze, Lasha Tsnobilauze insulteu him veibally. 0n the next
uay, Kapanauze anu Tsnobilauze agieeu to meet. Appioximately, at 14:Su, neai Bighomi Block, Lasha
Tsnobilauze came to meet Kapanauze togethei with aiounu 2u police officeis in the civilian clothes. The police
officeis insulteu Kapanauze veibally anu afteiwaius beat him, put him in the cai foicefully anu took him away
to the Bighomi Block sub-unit. Lasha Tsnobilauze, who tuineu out to be a staff membei of the NIA's ueneial
Inspection, also visiteu the police station. Kapanauze alleges that Tsnobilauze togethei with othei police
officeis staiteu "uiscussing the case uetails" anu piessuieu him not to confiont T.Zh. (his fathei-in-law)
anymoie. "Biscussion of case uetails" was accompanieu with veibal anu physical abuse.

0n his ietuin fiom the police station, Kapanauze felt uiscomfoit, calleu 112 anu stateu that the police officeis
hau beaten him anu askeu foi the meuical ciew. Kapanauze was taken to a hospital anu given appiopiiate
meuical tieatment. The ceitificate issueu by the Tbilisi Cential Bospital incluues the following uiagnosis:
"closeu chest injuiy, numeious iuptuies on the iibs".

0n the same uay, the police visiteu the hospital anu uemanueu Kapanauze to ietuin to the police station,
wheie, Kapanauze claims the police officeis foiceu him to give a false testimony as if some stiangeis hau
physically injuieu him aftei leaving the police builuing foi an unknown ieason.

N@ EF#) a)5#AV, B-%,@
44
Infoimation pioviueu by Shio Kobiuze is alaiming. Accoiuing to him, on 27 0ctobei
2u1S, at 2 a.m. on the Rose Squaie, the police officeis of the 0lu Tbilisi Bistiict uetaineu him anu took to the
police uepaitment. Kobiuze claims the police toituieu him, wheie 4-S peisons weie iemoiselessly beating
him, sticking a pen in the injuiies, cuising at him, thieatening with the use of "a bioom" anu tuining him into a
ciipple. The meuical expeit examination iepoit issueu by the Levan Samkhaiauli National Foiensics Buieau
confiims tiaces of physical violence on the bouy. Accoiuing to Kobiuze, his fiienu who was uetaineu togethei
with him, eye-witnesseu the toituie. Shio Kobiuze notes that togethei with his lawyei he was iequesting the
launch of investigation foi thiee months, but in vain. The investigation was launcheu only on 4 Febiuaiy 2u14,
in seveial uays following a special piess confeience oiganizeu in uYLA ovei this issue.

[@ C-%F- EF-&#'#%F3#.#@
4S
Employees of the thiiu 0nit of the Rustavi City Bepaitment have uetaineu Lasha
Shatiiishvili on 24 Becembei 2u1S. Be was chaigeu with committing a ciime unuei Sub-Paiagiaph 'a' of
Section 2 of Aiticle 26u of the Ciiminal Coue of ueoigia, i.e. stoiing the uiugs in a laige amount. Accoiuing to
him, uuiing the uetention the police officeis beat him anu insulteu him veibally. Fuithei, they have thieateneu
him with planting the uiugs on him in case he woulu iepoit on the inciuent. The Rustavi City Couit has

43
http://gyla.ge/geo/news?info=1750.
44
http://gyla.ge/geo/news?info=1953.
45
http://gyla.ge/geo/news?info=1953.
30
impiisoneu Shatiiishvili as pait of a pieventive measuie. The application foim of the Rustavi City Bospital anu
the injuiies iecoiueu by the uoctoi upon his entiy in the penitentiaiy institution confiims the tiace of physical
violence on Shatiiishvili's bouy.

^@ +'-T.# ?%;.-AV,@
46
Staff of the Tbilisi Chief Bepaitment uetaineu Iiakli Tsulauze on 18 Novembei 2u1S
neai vaiketili. Accoiuing to him, uuiing the uetention the police officeis physically anu veibally abuseu him
anu then planteu the uiugs on him. The Tbilisi City Couit has impiisoneu him as pait of a pieventive measuie.
Injuiies iecoiueu by the uoctoi upon his entiy in the penitentiaiy institution confiim tiaces of physical
violence on Tsulauze's bouy.

\@ D-3#& =F-BF;-@
47
Accoiuing to the statement of citizen Bavit Chachua, the police officeis have uetaineu
him on the uawn of 19 }anuaiy 2u14 anu took him to one of the vake-Sabuitalo police stations (next to
television). As Bavit Chachua claims, he was fiist physically abuseu anu afteiwaius ieleaseu.

]@ 0#)'1# Q#T;'-%F3#.#@
48
uioigi }ikuiashvili iepoiteu about veibal anu physical abuse by the police officeis.
Be stateu he was foiceu as a iesult of violence to aumit a ciime he hau not committeu. Apait fiom the police
officeis, the explanations of uioigi }ikuiashvili iefei to actions containing ciiminal elements committeu by one
of the piosecutois.

87@ E,#< E,#<#,3@
49
In explanations given to uYLA's lawyei, Seip Seipiev, who is cuiiently in the penitentiaiy
institution #8, notes that he was summoneu to the Naineuli police uepaitment foi inteiiogation on 11 August
2u1S. Aftei enteiing the police uepaitment, he was taken into one of the iooms of the police builuing wheie
they staiteu beating him. They weie uemanuing fiom him to aumit complicity in a iobbeiy. Accoiuing to him,
thiee peisons weie beating him anu one piosecutoi was obseiving. Seip Seipiev also claims that latei he was
tiansfeiieu to Rustavi wheie physical anu veibal abuse on him continueu. Be says they have put a plastic bag
ovei his heau anu iemoveu it only aftei he felt bau. Be claims beating was caiiieu out foi 1u-12 houis, with
the inteivals of seveial minutes anu sometimes appioximately half an houi.

88@ ?,#4;'-V 03-'-AV,@ In explanations given to uYLA's lawyei, Teimuiaz uvaiauze says that the Telavi
Police staff uetaineu him on 21 Nay 2u1S. Buiing the uetention, the police officeis Nugzai Zatiashvili, Neiab
Komshiashvili, vano Khaziuii, the Beau of the Telavi Police anu seveial othei peisons have beaten him with
bottles filleu with watei.

86@ 0#)'1# a)&;-%F3#.#@ In explanations given to uYLA's lawyei u.Kotuashvili notes that uuiing his uetention
the staff of the uoii police uepaitment have physically anu psychologically abuseu him, namely, by kicking him
in the back with theii legs, kicking a gun butt in his heau, beating him with fists in the face aiea, anu tiying to
plant a knife with him.

8I@ "#TF,#. G-';.-3-@ In explanations given to uYLA's lawyei N.Paiulava states he was uetaineu in Tbilisi
on S Febiuaiy 2u14, uuiing which he was physically anu psychologically abuseu, anu as a iesult of which he
hau to aumit a ciime he hau not ieally committeu (puichase anu stoiage of uiugs).

8L@ "-4;T- a-',.#AV,@ In explanations given to uYLA's lawyei, N.Kaieliuze, who was uetaineu in uoii on
2u August 2u1S, says that while walking in the stieet, seveial police officeis appioacheu him suuuenly, thiew

46
http://gyla.ge/geo/news?info=1953.
47
http://gyla.ge/geo/news?info=1953.
48
http://gyla.ge/geo/news?info=1953.
49
http://gyla.ge/geo/news?info=2049.

31
him on the giounu anu staiteu beating him. They weie uemanuing fiom him the aumission of the buiglaiy of a
bai, oi otheiwise they woulu "cieate facts on" his fiienus anu biothei.

8N@ Y-.,'#-$ S,VF#T)%F3#.#@ In explanations given to uYLA's lawyei on Febiuaiy 19 valeiian Bezhikoshvili
states that he was uetaineu on 28 }anuaiy 2u14 in Tbilisi neai the "Kolkheti" Botel, following which the
policemen offeieu him to "coopeiate" anu give infoimation on his foimei inmates, in exchange foi which they
piomiseu monetaiy compensation. Aftei he has iefuseu, he was physically anu veibally abuseu.
Su


8[@ J-4-V 2-A#'-AV,@ In explanations given to uYLA's lawyei, Ramaz Nauiiauze claims that on 7 Novembei
2u1S, appioximately at 2u:Su he was in the boiough of Agaia at the main highway togethei with his fiienu,
when the police uetaineu him anu biought to the police station. Nauiiauze alleges that in the police
uepaitment the Beau of the Kaieli Police was foicing him to give a false testimony anu aumit stoiing uiugs,
which he iefuseu. Afteiwaius the Beau of the Kaieli Police abuseu him physically anu veibally.

8^@ +'-T.# a,.5-T#-$#@ In explanations given to uYLA's lawyei, Iiakli Kelbakiani claims that on 1S Naich
2u14, two police officeis came out of the patiol police cai (plate #KCK-6S6) in Tbilisi at the cioss of the
Aisena anu Zaal Kikouze Stieets, anu askeu him to get in the cai. Aftei Kelbakiani hau askeu foi the ieason,
they insulteu him veibally anu foiceu him into theii patiol cai. . Aftei putting him in the cai, they put
hanucuffs on him anu continueu his veibal anu physical abuse - by beating him with hanus anu iion bats in the
face, heau anu extiemities. Kelbakiani claims they also simulateu his stiangling. The exteinal examination
piotocol uiawn up upon his aiiival in the tempoiaiy isolation waiu inuicates that he was suffeiing fiom "a
notch on the neck, sciatches behinu the left eai, small biuises on both shoulueis anu the left knee, anu biuises
on the iight shouluei". The health ceitificate issueu also attests of the injuiies.
S1


8\@ S,T- 0)1;-AV,@ In explanations given to uYLA's lawyei Beka uoguauze claims that on 17 Novembei
2u1S, two employees of the Biuube-Chughuieti 0nit #S uetaineu him anu biought him to the police
uepaitment, when the officeis abuseu him physically anu veibally. In paiticulai, he was initially veibally
insulteu in the office of the Bepaitment Beau, following of which he was knockeu uown anu beaten with legs
in the bouy anu facial aieas.

8]@ 2;1V-' ?-5-1-'#@ Accoiuing to explanations given to uYLA's lawyei, Nugzai Tabagaii was uetaineu on
18 Febiuaiy 2u14 at appioximately S a.m. by the 0lu Tbilisi 0nit #S, with theft chaiges. Buiing the uetention,
the police officeis abuseu him physically anu veibally, as well as thieateneu to plant uiugs on him anu a gun in
case he woulu not aumit any ciime.

67@ "-4;T- "#T-;&-AV,@ Buiing the iepoiting peiiou, public attention was uiawn to the illegal uetention of
Namuka Nikautauze. Buiing his inteiiogation as a witness, he claims to have been put unuei piessuie by the
police officeis in oiuei to extiact eviuence fiom him. Accoiuing to the official veision, on the next uay aftei the
inteiiogation, Nikautauze has hangeu himself. Accoiuing to oui infoimation, Namuka Nikautauze was
uetaineu on S }uly 2u1S in the moining houis at his woikplace. Accoiuing to eyewitnesses, Nikautauze was
helu foi seveial houis at the place of uetention, following of which the law-enfoiceis took him away. Namuka
Nikautauze was taken to the NIA's Tbilisi Chief Bepaitment, wheie, accoiuing to the official veision, he was
inteiiogateu as a witness. Notably, his uefense attoiney, who was not alloweu an entiy in the police builuing
uue to his failuie to contact the investigatoi, was uepiiveu of the iight to meet Nikautauze anu attenu the
inteiiogation. Foi seveial houis, the attoiney coulu not meet eithei with the seconu uetainee uela Nanjaviuze.

50
http://gyla.ge/geo/news?info=2049.
51
http://gyla.ge/geo/news?info=2049.
32

Aftei Namuka Nikautauze left the police builuing, he tolu his fiienus about piessuie exeiciseu on him anu
stateu they maue him sign eviuence against uela Nanjaviuze while being thiown on the flooi with legs
piessing on his heau. Be also stateu he was summoneu to the police next moining.

Namuka Nikautauze tolu about piessuie exeiciseu on him to his spouse as well. 0n the next moining,
Nikautauze tolu his fiienus he uiu not want to live anymoie uue to what hau happeneu. Latei on, Namuka
Nikautauze was founu hangeu neai the Tbilisi Sea teiiitoiy. At the initiative of the investigating authoiity,
expeit examination was caiiieu out on the coipse of Namuka Nikautauze, while latei; an alteinative expeit
examination was caiiieu out with the family's consent. The lattei has iuentifieu on the coipse seveial injuiies,
which the time of infliction was consistent with Namuka Nikautauze's piesence in the police builuing.
Accoiuing to the expeit, in the couise of a shoit peiiou piioi to his ueath, Nikautauze hau suffeieu injuiies
"fiom some fiim, blunt object".

The ueneial Inspection of the NIA has caiiieu out investigation on Namuka Nikautauzes suiciue anu
concluueu that the staff of the Ciiminal Police have not exeiciseu any physical oi mental abuse on Namuka
Nikautauze.

We believe the investigation on this case shoulu not have been conuucteu by the NIA, as some of its
employees might be iesponsible foi the potential committeu ciime, but by the Piosecutoi's 0ffice of ueoigia.
Pieliminaiy assessments ieleaseu at the investigation stage by the Investigative 0nit of the NIA's ueneial
Inspection cast uoubts on the inuepenuence, efficiency anu cieuibility of the conuucteu investigation.

Puisuant to Paiagiaph 2 of the 7 }uly 2u1S 0iuei NS4 of the Ninistei of }ustice (on ueteimining the
investigative anu teiiitoiial investigative juiisuiction foi ciiminal cases), if a ciime is potentially committeu by
a police officei, a case shall be subject to the juiisuiction of an investigatoi of the Piosecutoi's 0ffice.

In fact, in ";%8L.<V( $%< 1.#260.$%. 6&F 1(/#2.$" the Euiopean Couit of Buman Rights has stateu: "Foi an
investigation to be effective, the peisons iesponsible foi anu caiiying out the investigation must be
inuepenuent anu impaitial, in law anu in piactice. This means not only a lack of hieiaichical oi institutional
connection with those implicateu in the events but also a piactical inuepenuence. The effective investigation
iequiieu unuei Aiticle 2 seives to maintain public confiuence in the authoiities' maintenance of the iule of
law, to pievent any appeaiance of collusion in oi toleiance of unlawful acts anu, in those cases involving State
agents oi bouies, to ensuie theii accountability foi ueaths occuiiing unuei theii iesponsibility."

All of the above uemonstiates that the investigation piocess on the Nikautauze case has iesulteu in giave
bieaches of stanuaius set by the legislation of ueoigia anu the Euiopean Couit of Buman Rights.

68@ J)4-$ +-T)5-AV,@ 0ui attention uuiing the iepoiting peiiou was also uiawn to the case of Roman
Iakobauze. Bis family membeis claim that the Auigeni Police staff weie exeicising piessuie on him, anu foiceu
him to plant a gun on his ielative. They noteu that Iakobauze was foiceu to wiite a statement against himself.
The victim's family infoimeu about this fact the Piosecutoi's 0ffice of Aujaia as well as Nu0s. Fuitheimoie, it
is notewoithy that aftei the uetention Iakobauze was uepiiveu of the iight to uefense by the same police
uepaitment. The police officeis ueny the authenticity of the facts ielateu to the Iakobauze case that weie
pioviueu by the family to the public. Yet, infoimation on conuucting a full-scale investigation on these facts by
the Piosecutoi's 0ffice anu any subsequent iesults has not become available.


33
^@ J,B)44,$A-&#)$%

"Tianspaiency Inteinational ueoigia", "ueoigian Bemociatic Initiative", "Buman Rights Euucation anu
Nonitoiing Centei" anu "ueoigian Young Lawyeis' Association" finu that in the neai futuie:

It is impoitant to launch a wiue-ianging iefoim of the NIA, incluuing the agency's ieoiganization,
sepaiation of the secuiity segment, anu management of the cauies;
It is necessaiy that the NIA's legislative initiatives aie consistent with inteinational stanuaius anu
contiibute to the intiouuction of high stanuaius of piotection of citizens' iights;
The NIA shoulu iequest the enactment of the witness inteiiogation pioceuuie anu othei piogiessive
iegulations in the shoitest peiiou of time;
The NIA shoulu, on one hanu, necessaiily analyze last yeai's challenges, especially in teims of secuiing
fieeuom of expiession, anu on the othei hanu, plan effective ways foi iesolving these uifficulties, .%-(#
$0.$, tiaining of the staff;
It is ciucial that all ciimes ielateu to potential abuse of poweis by police officeis aie investigateu
without uelay;
It is impoitant to intiouuce within the NIA a system of suiveillance anu wiietapping compliant with
inteinational stanuaius on the mattei. To this enu, it is necessaiy to auopt legislative amenuments that
woulu iestiict the possibility of infiinging upon piivate life to the maximum extent anu that woulu
cuive powei abuse by entities caiiying out seciet investigative actions;
To set up the mechanism of supeivision ovei seciet suiveillance anu wiietapping, it is equally
impoitant to expanu the ciicle of bouies iesponsible foi the piotection of peisonal infoimation, make
suie these aie effective anu giant them extia functions by the legislation;
It is essential to set up a special supeivisoiy pailiamentaiy commission, which woulu supeivise the
obseivance of ielevant pioceuuies foi the examination, the use anu the stoiage of peisonal
infoimation as well as it shoulu supeivise the ueletion anu uestiuction of the uata obtaineu as a iesult
of seciet suiveillance anu wiietapping;
Puisuant to the legislation of ueoigia, the ciimes committeu by police officeis must be investigateu by
an investigatoi of the Piosecutoi's 0ffice. Yet, seveial occasions weie iepoiteu in piactice when the
NIA's ueneial Inspection was conuucting the investigation ("inquiiy"). It is ciucial that this
iequiiement of the law is obseiveu unconuitionally in each specific case;
To conuuct an objective, impaitial anu effective investigation of ciimes committeu by police officeis, it
is essential to set up the mechanism that woulu excluue oi minimize the iisks of ineffective anu biaseu
investigation.