Human Rights Centre presents the monitoring results in the case of Giorgi Rurua

The Human Rights Center has presented the results of monitoring of the case of imprisoned Giorgi Rurua. The non-governmental organization reports that during a personal search of one of the founders of the "Mtavari  Channel" and various investigative actions the constitution was repeatedly violated.

One of the important aspects that the organization has identified is the process by which a lawyer has not been allowed to engage in an investigative action, which is in fact unconstitutional. It is important that the accused was not given the opportunity to contact the lawyer and family members during the arrest, which is against the Constitution and the Criminal Code, - said the lawyer of the center, Giorgi Kakubava.

The organization notes that the Constitution was violated during the arrest of Giorgi Rurua, even when the car of the alleged accused was searched three hours and 40 minutes after his arrest, and that the arrest protocol does not contain the signature of the alleged accused.

Giorgi Rurua was arrested on November 18, 2019. The investigation accuses him of illegal purchase-storage-carrying of firearms, however, none of the evidence in the case confirms the version of the prosecution. Rurua's defense has repeatedly filed motions for his release during several months of litigation, although the court has not taken that decision.

International partners also see political motivations in the arrest of George Rurua and call on the Georgian authorities to release him and end his political persecution. The release of Rurua was also part of the 8 March agreement, although the Government has yet to fulfill its promise.