„Young Barristers“ – Prosecution should be able to confirm systematic crimes

28 July, 2014

The Organization “Young Barristers, in the process of strengthening rule of law, calls government to take public expectations in account and notes, that restoration of justice in the country should have irreversible and tangible consequence. 

Co-founder and leader of “Young Barristers”, Archil Kaikatsishvili states, that Georgia need immediate democratic reforms, as for public, solid democratic institutions. It is true, that presidential in 2013 and local government elections in 2014, governmental initiatives and firm direction towards European choice, strengthened public trusts, although, new reality after July 12, 2014, reveals new expectations from society, which is connected to the fundamental changes in court system, real independence and restoration of justice, which should bring objective estimation of systematic crimes in the country.  

„Young Barristers” will pay attention to inevitability of effectiveness of Georgian chief prosecution and notes, it is impossible to restore justice, bring equality towards the law and defend the interests of victims, if systematic crimes will not be properly investigated. There will be no legal argumentation on the crimes, taking place during the governance between 2003-2012, which concerns the state, the ways of governance, human life, health, property, enterprenurship, economic activity and malfeasance. Naturally, there are many cases in this direction, former politicians are charged, but there is only one verdict of “Enuqidze and Gigvliani against Georgia”, which confirms that systematic crime has taken place in the country – former president, former ministers, active judges, they were acting all together not to bring justice to the case.  

„Young Barristers“ address Georgian chief prosecution, to start complex actions for confirmation of systematic crimes, for so called “famous cases” stand out for episodical verdicts, while the crime had systematic face – humiliation and brutality towards the prisoners, compromise of the property, getting hold of tenders for symbolical price, distribution of shares in media business, malfeasance. Accordingly, we consider that there are insufficient attempts to confirm systematic crimes. Thus, it is essential to strengthen the efforts to reveal and charge ones behind systematic crimes in case of new political, legal and public governance. Organisation considers, that uncovering the truth of prioritized cases should be taken into account:

  1. The case of compromised properties for symbolical price from the legal owners of the properties in 2003–2012. Also the validity of owners’ abandonment or handing property to the state.
  2. During the process of state authority on malfeasance, amongst them issue of state declared tenders, companies registered in offshore zones, relations with high officials, favorable economical activity in Georgia in 2003–2012
  3. Transferred sum to the lobbying companies from Georgian executive and legislative jurisdiction in 2003–2012. Two groups are widely known for this, American “Podesta Group” and “Orion Strategy”. According to incomplete information, from 2004 to second half of 2011, Georgian government spent minimum of 5,5 million dollars on lobbying companies in America. After the August, 2008 war, Georgian government formed contracts with American lobbyists worth 1.666 million dollars. From 2004, when Mikheil Saakashvili came to power, Georgia spent 2.619 mil. Dollars in USA for the improvement of its’ political image.
  4. To hasten the verdicts on cases that took place during 2003–2012, including passing away of former premier, investigation of November 7th, May 26th, August war and limitations of action of independent media companies.  
  5. For prosecution to make effective steps for the cases concerning former president and other former officials. Naturally, presumption of innocence must be executed with high quality, but it is important to execute interrogation of former officials and, wherever he might be located, former president concerning 10 well-known cases and if there is sufficient evidence to make a public statement whether or not will the verdicts be derived without his involvement.

In addition to this, “Young Barristers” call for law enforcers, to, out of high social interest, make restoration of justice a transaparrent process. For every process to be in accordance with the law. It is important, in the face of supreme law, to exclude selectivity of legal principles and to inform public to eradicate political influence on legal actions



Comments