Termination of Criminal Case against Malkhaz Gulashvili and his Minor Son Requested

In its 28th edition the Georgian weekly the Georgian Times published an appeal to the President and the authorities of Georgia demanding the termination of criminal persecution against Malkhaz Gulashvili, founder and director of the Georgian Times media holding and the leader of the People's Orthodox Movement and his minor son David Gulashvili. The appeal has been signed by Georgian journalists, artists, opposition politicians, film directors and up to 182 people of different professions.

For the last two months the members of the People's Orthodox Movement have been persecuted for just applying the right to freedom of expression. Eight members of the movement have been detained for two months now and against Malkhaz Gulashvili and his son the Georgian justice applied the article never tried before against any citizen in his/her homeland," reads the appeal. According to the authors of the appeal the Georgian authorities imposed an illegal penalty on Gulashvili and his son for crossing the border being beyond its control. "The citizen having fled Georgia through the breach of law is normally punishable according to the law of the country the runaway illegally enters," reads the appeal, "and even in this case the fugitive is under the threat of deport not imprisonment."

The signatories to the appeal include former public defenders Nana Devdariani and Sozar Subari, opposition policy-makers such as David Gamkrelidze, Irina Sarishvili-Chanturia, Giorgi Gugava, Taimuraz Shashiashvili, Koba Davitashvili; journalists such as Thea Sichinava, Eka Beridze, Jaba Khubua, Irma Inashvili; artists such as Kakhi Kavsadze, Guram Pirtskhalava, Givi Berikashvili; film directors such as Rezo Esadze, Robert Sturua, Giorgi Khaindrava and etc.

Malkhaz and David Gulashvili fled Georgia in May 2010 following the detention of the suspects of the attack against Kavkasia TV. According to Malkhaz Gulashvili the decision on fleeing the country was made to avoid the revenge of the authorities against his son.

On May 7, 2010 the activists of the People's Orthodox Movement and the Union of Orthodox Parents (including ecclesiastics) intruded into Kavkasia TV premises in the course of fierce live TV discussion between the representatives of Orthodox organizations and their opponents over the Secret Bullshit (pun that derides the Last Supper), a scandalous book by a young writer Erekle Deisadze. According to the preliminary investigation David Akubardia, Kavkaia TV founder and TV cameramen were beaten by the attackers.

The police detained eight suspects charged with hooliganism and interference into journlists' activities. Seven of them were sent to a two-month pre-trial detention. One of them was released for the absence of evidence. The trial was launched on June 28.

On July 21, 22 and 23 the court interrogated 12 people including Kavkasia TV owner Nino Jangirashvili, journalist Aleko Elisashvili and some of the TV staff in relation to the incident. Neither witnesses nor the sufferers consider any of the eight detainees guilty. Speaking at the trial David Akubardia, interrogated as a sufferer said the investigation should be carried out in a correct and urgent manner. The following trial is scheduled to be held on July 29.