Property rights violations, inhumane treatment under former United National Movement Gov’t eyed by parliamentary inquiry

The Temporary Investigative Commission of the Parliament examining alleged crimes committed by the former United National Movement Government between 2003 and 2012 on Wednesday reviewed testimonies related to property rights violations and inhumane treatment in prisons during the former Government.

Thea Tsulukiani, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament and Chair of the Commission, commented on the ruling of Tbilisi City Court, which on Wednesday imposed a bail of ₾50,000 on Mamuka Khazaradze, the leader of the opposition Lelo party, who was charged with the failure to comply with the request of the Temporary Investigative Commission

“This decision clarifies that the first stage of the criminal proceedings has been completed, which involves preparing the case for substantive review. Now, the trial will proceed to the substantive phase. The judge determined that pretrial detention as a preventive measure is unnecessary. [...] The judge has several options, including a fine as stipulated by the Criminal Code or imprisonment for up to one year. The process continues, and of course, we are closely monitoring it as observers”, Tsulukiani said.

One of the key testimonies heard by the Commission came from Giorgi Zerekidze, who had been detained as a minor during the former Government. He recounted his experience of inhumane treatment while incarcerated.

Zerekidze said that in 2006, at the age of 14, he was involved in a conflict in which he injured a civilian. His father voluntarily took him to the police, where he was charged with attempted murder, robbery, and hooliganism, leading to his detention. Ultimately, the appellate court sentenced him to five years in prison. His family appealed the ruling to the European Court of Human Rights. According to Zerekidze, authorities pressured his parents to withdraw the case in exchange for his early release.

He further alleged that when his parents traveled to Strasbourg to retrieve their case documents, they were arrested upon returning to Georgia on drug-related charges. A large quantity of narcotics was reportedly “found” in their luggage. As a result, his father was sentenced to life imprisonment, while his mother received a five-year suspended sentence. Zerekidze stated that his father died a year later at Rustavi's No. 6 prison. Although the official cause of death was recorded as electrocution, he believes his father was strangled.

After his own release, Zerekidze claims he was soon rearrested on hooliganism charges following a provoked altercation with a neighbor, leading to an eight-year sentence. His lawyer reportedly told him that his family's name had been placed on a “blacklist” by Zurab Adeishvili, a key official of the former regime.

Zerekidze also described the dire conditions in correctional facilities, stating that the environment was so unbearable that he resorted to self-harm, yet received no medical attention.

The second major issue discussed by the Commission involved property rights violations. Former Gori Market owner Jemal Tsiklauri testified about the forcible seizure of his business.

According to Tsiklauri, pressure from authorities began in 2004 when then-Governor Mikheil Kareli demanded that he transfer ownership of the Gori Market to the state. Upon refusing, Tsiklauri faced a series of provocations that led to tax authorities investigating his business, accusing him of tax evasion, and subsequently arresting him.

Tsiklauri recounted that while in prison, prosecutors exerted pressure on his family, ultimately forcing him to sign over the market to the state. He stated that a prosecutor entered the prison with a notary to formalize the transfer. Before this, he was unlawfully taken from prison to the General Prosecutor’s Office, where he was held in a waiting room for several hours before being returned to his cell.

Upon his release, Tsiklauri attempted to reclaim his property under a then-existing law that allowed individuals to rescind gifts within a one-year period. However, he soon faced renewed threats, persecution, and asset seizures, preventing him from reclaiming his business.

The Commission continues to investigate these and other cases, aiming to shed light on past abuses and ensure justice for victims of human rights violations and property expropriation.