Member of the Parliament of Georgia and member of the Strong Georgia coalition, Aleko Elisashvili, who was beaten five months ago by employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs during an ongoing rally near the government administration building, has been fined by the court.
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The Tbilisi City Court has recognized Elisashvili as an offender under Articles 166 and 173 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, which pertain to petty hooliganism and disobedience to a lawful police request.
"Perhaps we all remember that Bidzina Ivanishvili, before coming to power 12 years ago, pretended to be outraged by the injustice of the previous government. He promised to restore justice, free the court from pressure, and impress Europe with democracy. Let me show you the kind of law we have:
On April 17, near the government administration building, about 20 policemen physically assaulted me, a member of the Parliament of Georgia, who is ordinarily protected by constitutional immunity. None of the policemen involved have been charged since that incident; none have been identified, arrested, or held accountable. Instead, I was fined 2000 GEL for alleged hooliganism and ranting without an address.
Can you imagine? They fined me without asking me anything. This is the country Bidzina Ivanishvili offered us 12 years ago," said the MP.
Aleko Elisashvili has appealed the decision to the appeals court, but he expresses little hope of finding justice in what he describes as "Murusidze's shop."
Elisashvili is at least the third person beaten by Ministry of Internal Affairs employees at anti-Russian rallies who has been recognized by the court as a lawbreaker. Civil activist Davit Katsarava and American lawyer Ted Jonas were also fined 2000 GEL.
On April 17, Aleko Elisashvili was physically assaulted at a rally against the Russian law near the government administration after he attempted to breach the police cordon and enter the building. Footage broadcast by TV Pirveli shows dozens of policemen beating Elisashvili, who was lying on the ground, with their hands and kicks. Elisashvili has identified one of the perpetrators as Zakro Chokheli, the former deputy chief of Khashuri police and a senior official in the criminal police.
For five months, the Special Investigation Service has been investigating the case under the article of exceeding official authority, but no arrests have been made in connection with the group violence against the sitting MP. According to Elisashvili, the violence was ordered by the head of the patrol police department, Vazha Siradze.
Two days before the violence, on April 15, Aleko Elisashvili had a physical confrontation with one of the authors of the Russian law, Mamuka Mdinaradze, in parliament, hitting him in the face during a committee discussion. Mdinaradze responded that Elisashvili would receive "a full answer.”
