The Georgian NGO “Young Barristers” urges the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia to conduct effective investigation in a timely manner over Ramaz Akhvlediani’s case . The organization is also talking about high ranking political officials of the former Government: Mikheil Saakashvili, the former President of Georgia, Davit Kezerashvili, the former Head of the Financial Police and others having direct interest to the case.

The organization represents to the society the interim results of another monitoring over property confiscations, in which  property confiscations includes signs of systemic crimes committed by the Government. The case refers to Ramaz Akhvlediani, the owner of Lisi Lake, who was forced to give up his business and property due to the former Financial Police Chief’s direct influence. According to the case materials, in 1998, Ramaz Akhvlediani won the right of redemption of the buildings located within Lisi Lake territory. He had fully complied with his obligations, paid full ransom to the State and thus, in accordance with the terms of the tender, the property should have been transferred to his ownership.   

The documents, researched by the organization, tell that on the ground of the President’s decree of July 14, 2006, 63,5 ha of non-agricultural land, adjacent to Lisi Lake territory, should be transferred to  Ramaz Akhvlediani through direct disposal and  267 ha  - to the company “Lisi Lake” . Ramaz Akhvlediani and Mamuka Kharadze were partners of the mentioned company. The conditions, determined by the President’s Decree should have been enforced by December 31, 2006. Namely, the process of Lisi Lake rehabilitation, cleaning of the territory and constructions on the basis of the relevant permit should have been conducted and completed by this time. Despite the fact, that most of these activities were already performed, in November 10, 2006, the President adopted another decree seizing  the property from Akhvlediani’s possession, providing that he has not completed all the activities required by the Decree of July 14, 2006. It should be noted, that the President issued a new decree in the situation, when all the requirement were already fulfilled by Mr. Akhvlediani and in addition, the terms of performance of the duties were determined until December 31,2006 and this term could not obviously be  expired by November. 

As it was stated by the businessman Akhvlediani during the briefing, the Government set the goal to seize his legal property and business from him through the Financial Police. In November 4, 2004, Mr. Akhvlediani, was summoned by  Financial Police, where he was threatened  with imprisonment of him and his family members if he would refuse to give up mentioned property. Finally, Ramaz Akhvlediani was forced to write Confirmation  addressed to Gigi Ugulava, the Mayer of Tbilisi, stating that he was giving up his property, as long as he failed to fulfil his duties determined by Presidential Decree of July 14,2006 and cancelling lease agreement. After 6 days, President  Saakashvili has officially seized Mr. Akhvlediani’s property on the ground of his new decree of November 10, 2006.     

Mzia Ansiani, Mr. Akhvlediani’s Advocate stated during the briefing, that business partners have also encouraged the seizure of the property from Mr. Akhvlediani. These companies were likely to have secret deals with the Government. Current owner of Lisi Lake territory is “Lisi Development”, and the owner of the Company, Mamuka Khazaradze was Mr. Akhvlediani’s former business partner. Mikheil Saakashvili transmitted this property to the company through direct disposal. Accordingly, Ramaz Akhvlediani and his lawyers discuss the issue of legal consciousness of Mamuka Khazaradze as well. 

“Young Barristers” believes, that confiscation of the property and seizure of the legal business from Ramaz Akhvlediani was an illegal act. He had fulfilled all the obligations, had made an important investment for Lisi Lake  development and reconstruction, but was forced by the Government pressure to give up both, the business and property at the expense of his own and his family members’  liberty. The organization considers it relevant to note, that it is going to publish the results of the monitoring over Akhvlediani’s case in September, 2015.