Parliamentary inquiry into crimes committed by former UNM Gov't: failure to appear before investigative commission will result in criminal liability

Thea Tsulukiani, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament and Chair of the Temporary Investigative Commission of the Parliament that examines alleged crimes committed by the former United National Movement Government between 2003 and 2012, on Friday said the failure to appear before the Commission would result in criminal liability.

In her remarks, Tsulukiani noted that all persons who represented the former Government would have to appear before the Commission.

“We are not joking. Every individual who represented the former Government will be required to appear before the commission and cannot later claim they were unaware of severe consequences of noncompliance. I want to make it clear to everyone we summon that they should not create legal problems for themselves”, the Vice Speaker said.

During today's session, the Commission is reviewing the case concerning the confiscation of property from the late businessman Besarion Khardziani.

This case has drawn significant attention due to the businessman's claims of being forced to give up his assets, and the subsequent violent nature of his death.

In February 2011, Khardziani was arrested on drug-related charges. He was released from prison in December 2012. Khardziani claimed that during his detention, he was coerced into relinquishing his business shares.

On March 28, 2015, Khardziani was assassinated in the entrance of his apartment building in Tbilisi.

The Prosecutor’s Office announced the case as solved in January 2016.

Two individuals were found guilty of orchestrating Khardziani's contract killing: Farid Gurbanov, a Ukrainian citizen, and Oleg Doev, a Russian citizen. The court sentenced both men in absentia to 19 years in prison.