Indiko Bzhalava, Balda Canyon Guard, Arrested on Political Grounds

Indiko Bzhalava, an active participant in the Balda protest, was arrested by the Martvil police on June 12 on the charge of threatening to kill. His arrest effectively halted the protest.

The case is once again being handled by Martvil police investigator Eliso Zarkua, who has been exposed by a witness for falsifying testimony. The prosecutor's office has not initiated an investigation into the falsification of testimony.

In an interview with Mtis Ambebi, eyewitnesses revealed that Sophia Shakulashvili, identified as the victim by the prosecutor's office, is a false witness. The testimony of these witnesses confirms that there was no threat from Indiko Bzhalava. The Prosecutor's Office has yet to question these witnesses.

The case is once again being handled by Martvil police investigator Eliso Zarkua, who has been exposed by a witness for falsifying testimony. The prosecutor's office has not initiated an investigation into this falsification.

The woman accusing Indiko Bzhalava of threatening to kill her is the wife of Gela Khurtsilava. In April, Gela Khurtsilava was employed by the company that took over Balda Canyon for 40 years due to numerous legal violations. On June 11, Gela Khurtsilava, armed and accompanied by his brother, attacked the Balda Canyon guards and inflicted seven knife wounds on Mindia Bzhalava. The prosecutor's office has charged him with attempted murder.

The pre-trial session for Indiko Bzhalava's case is scheduled to take place at the Senaki District Court on July 24 at 13:00. His lawyer is demanding his release.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, of which Georgia is a member, adopted a resolution on October 3, 2012, establishing the criteria for recognizing someone as a political prisoner.

1. If the arrest is related to a violation of any rights protected by the European Convention on Human Rights, particularly the rights to freedom of opinion, conscience, religion, expression, information, assembly, and association;
2. If the arrest was based solely on political reasons and there was no actual crime committed;
3. If the arrest as a measure is clearly disproportionate to the severity of the crime for which the person was accused or convicted, and the decision to arrest is politically motivated;
4. If the person was arrested in a discriminatory manner due to political reasons, unlike others;
5. If the arrest is clearly the result of unfair and illegal proceedings connected to the political motives of the authorities.

They have set up a tent in the village of Balda in Martvili, Samegrelo, for nine months, continuously guarding against the company that plans to transform the unique natural monument into a commercial site with concrete structures, a roller coaster, a suspended walkway, bridges, and overlooks. They aim to prevent the resumption of construction work that would completely alter the canyon's original appearance. The canyon, located in the heart of the village, is no longer accessible to locals because the so-called investor has completely fenced it off and installed security personnel. The main owners of the company include Ani Giunashvili, the mother of the former chairman of the Agency for Protected Areas, Valerian Mchedlidze, and Mamuka Merkviladze, the de facto ambassador of Georgia to Russia. Levan Tsitskishvili, an employee of the multi-million dollar program funded by the German Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and Ani Motsonelidze, Joni Kapanadze's wife and business partner of Valerian Mchedlidze, each hold 5% of the shares. The guards of Balda Canyon are being harassed by both the company and the government.