Police dispersed the veteran’s rally

Georgian Police broke up a hunger strike and arrested over a dozen Georgian veterans who participated in armed conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the early 90s as well as veterans of the August 2008 war. The strike took place at the memorial of fallen soldiers for Georgia’s territorial integrity in Tbilisi on January 3rd. The group of veterans protested to emphasize their social hardship and the neglectful attitude of the authorities. The veterans complained that they have been left without a source of income after being discharged from the army or dismissed from other governmental structures.

Two days ago, the Ministry of Interior Affairs of Georgia released an official statement regarding the detention of veterans at the Heroes’ Square. According to the statement the detainees did not obey the police's request to remove tents, offered resistance and verbally insulted police officers which violates articles 166 and 173, envisaged by administrative code. The statement also says that some of the strikers, who were extremely boisterous, were under the influence of alcohol.

“On January 3, 2011, patrol police arrested the following persons: Zaza Germanozashvili, Ilia Chiloshvili, Valerian Dzebirashvili, Levan Asatiani, Malkhaz Topuria, Amur Revishvili, Sergo Dvali, Levon Asatriani, Leonid Ekhvaia, Shota Iamanidze and Shota Zghudadze for violating articles #166 and 173 of the Administrative Code,” the statement reads. “The aforementioned people had put a hand-made tent at the memorial, where they were holding a rally. The protestors resisted the police officers, who instructed them to remove the tent and abused them. Several people were particularly resistant, and were suspected to be under the influence of alcohol. The detainees were taken to an analysis centre, where tests showed that they were drunk.”

During the breakup of the strike, the chairwoman of the Isani district of Georgian Party, Eka Matitashvili was physically injured. However, the photo of the man who physically insulted Matitashvili was quickly spread via social network FACEBOOK and he was later recognized. The man who hit her face was 26 year old Otar Gvenetadze an employee of the MIA, according to released information.

Opposition and NGOs have also strictly condemned the disgraceful actions of the authorities. “It is a country’s disgrace when devoted people such as soldiers are in difficult moral and social conditions and it is even more disgraceful when the authorities forcedly break up the country’s defenders,” stated the chairwoman of the People’s meeting, Nona Gaprindashvili. “The police have the authority to break up unsanctioned rallies, but it was not reasonable to do this since they were supposed to end striking in several days. I do not understand why they made such an event out of this issue,” stated military analyst Koba Liklikadze.

“The crackdown of veterans, who were on a hunger strike, was illegal. It seems Saakashvili didn’t like the veterans and issued an order to evict them,” Eka Beselia, leader of the movement Solidarity with Illegal Prisoners said. According to her, the government should have carried out negotiations with the veterans.

Free Democrats demanded that the veterans who were detained during the incident on the Square of Heroes in Tbilisi should be immediately released and the case should be scrupulously investigated.

As the party leader Irakli Alasania stated at a press conference on Monday, the person who has issued the order for the dispersal of the peaceful veterans and the punitive squads of unidentified origin that discredited the entire legal system must be identified as soon as possible.

“We categorically demand that a State Commission be formed with the participation of the representatives of veterans, state structures and international organizations with the goal of implementing a state program concerning the veteran healthcare and social welfare”, Alasania said.

According to him, it is a pity that the president treats his citizens so worthlessly on both the frontline and in everyday life as well. Alasanaia states that Saakashvili has used force against those warriors who risked their lives for the territorial integrity of Georgia and Saakashvili has never done it himself. “He once again insulted every single Georgian soldier and the whole army overall,” added the Party Leader who himself is a veteran of the Abkhazia War.

The Georgian speaker of parliament Davit Bakradze restrained from making any comments regarding the incidents.

According to the government’s 2007 decree, veterans who fought in the armed conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia in early 90s are eligible for a monthly stipend of 22 GEL (less than 12.5 USD) for utility fees. They are also eligible for free travel passes in public transport.

P.S. Late last evening the detained veterans were released after paying GEL 400 fine each.