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ARMENIAN DIOCESE GETS INVOLVED IN GEORGIAN AMNESTY DEBATE
by Mari Nikuradze | Jan 29, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch - The Armenian Diocese in Georgia accuses President
Mikheil Saakashvili of making provocative statements regarding an
ethnic Armenian prisoner, and calls on him to avoid such language.
In 2008, Georgian police detained Vahagn Chakhaliani, a Georgian
citizen of Armenian origin, together with his father and brother,
but both were later released. Chakhaliani was charged under two
articles of the criminal law and sentenced to ten years in jail for
organizing massive disorder, participating in an ad hoc organized
group hooliganism and keeping and purchasing ammunition and explosive
material.
Recently, the Georgian parliament adopted a law on amnesty, which
applies to more than 18 000 prisoners. Vahagn Chakhaliani too benefited
from the amnesty, and was released January 24. President Saakashvili
criticized the amnesty many times and twice blocked it from being
enforced by using his veto.
In one of his statements, the president mentioned Vahagn Chalakhiani as
an enemy of Georgia, and said he reminded him of a convicted criminal,
Vladislav Ardzimba. He criticized the new government for releasing
Chalakhiani.
Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, who at the time was participating
in the World Economic Forum in Davos, said the Armenian Patriarch
raised the issue of releasing Vahang Chakhaliani when he visited
Armenia.
"When I was asked about it I redirected them saying that I wasn't
competent on this issue. I do not decide these issues," he said.
But the president said the prime minister's statement unsatisfactory,
as the only argument was that the Armenian patriarch raised this
issue. He said Ivanishvili will not be able to run away from a decision
which he personally made.
"This is a very heavy responsibility for Georgia's security," the
president said.
Later, Sozar Subari, Georgia's Prison Minister, responded by accusing
members of Saakashvili's National Movement (UNM) party of making
incorrect statements. He explained that Chakhaliani was accused of
less serious crimes, specifically violating public order, hooliganism
and a weapon charge.
Subari said the Armenian Patriarch had not made any demands, but
only asked what was happening regarding Chakhaliani's case and why
he wasn't on the list of political prisoners.
The amnesty law applies to the sections of the law which he was
charged under; that's why he was released.
January 26, the Armenian Church, the Patriarchate, issued a statement
calling on UNM party leaders and the president to avoid making
provocative statements.
"Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and Vano Merabishvili,
Secretary General of the National Movement, claimed that Vahagn
Chakhaliani, which they turned into a political prisoner, is a
separatist, agent of a foreign special service and enemy of the
Georgian state," the statement reads, adding that by those statements
they admitted that under the UNM government there was no justice
at all.
"If Chalakhiani really was a separatist and an agent, why wasn't he
convicted under the appropriate sections of the criminal code?"
The statement by the Armenian Church says that there is only one
explanation: that the former government used the justice system
against its political opponents. The statement also draws attention
to another statement by President Saakashvili in which he talked
about Armen Gevorgyan, and accused him of being a spy.
"How was it possible that he only read those surnames in a list of 200
political prisoners and use it for his own goals?" the statement says,
adding that despite political inconveniences, they are sure friendly
relations will continue between the two peoples.
President Saakashvili's administration on Monday responded to the
statement by expressing respect for compatriot Armenians and the
Armenian Diocese in Georgia.
The statement says the Georgian president has stated many times that
it is categorically unacceptable when political or social groups
build political perspectives based on different phobias including
'Armenophobia'.
"On this background, the latest statement by the Armenian Diocese in
Georgia is surprising, as the Georgian President in his statement
underlined that the ethnic origins of Vahagn Chakhaliani has no
importance. It is about criminal actions by a citizen of Georgia,"
the administration writes, expressing hope that the misunderstanding
was only caused by a lack of information.
President Saakashvili Monday once again personally responded to the
release of Vahang Chakhaliani, saying that it is a problem. He said
this while meeting with refugees from the Georgian breakaway region
Abkhazia.
He once again referred to Chakhaliani as 'an extremely dangerous
criminal'.
"They hit back: If he was such a criminal, why was he as sentenced for
being a separatist," Saakashvili said. "Pardon me, but this parliament
granted status of political refugees to people participating in
rebellion against the state, Russian spies, and wouldn't they put
separatists on the list of political prisoners? Of course they would,
and release them as political heroes."
http://dfwatch.net/armenian-diocese-gets-involved-in-georgian-amnesty-debate-85434
by Mari Nikuradze | Jan 29, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch - The Armenian Diocese in Georgia accuses President
Mikheil Saakashvili of making provocative statements regarding an
ethnic Armenian prisoner, and calls on him to avoid such language.
In 2008, Georgian police detained Vahagn Chakhaliani, a Georgian
citizen of Armenian origin, together with his father and brother,
but both were later released. Chakhaliani was charged under two
articles of the criminal law and sentenced to ten years in jail for
organizing massive disorder, participating in an ad hoc organized
group hooliganism and keeping and purchasing ammunition and explosive
material.
Recently, the Georgian parliament adopted a law on amnesty, which
applies to more than 18 000 prisoners. Vahagn Chakhaliani too benefited
from the amnesty, and was released January 24. President Saakashvili
criticized the amnesty many times and twice blocked it from being
enforced by using his veto.
In one of his statements, the president mentioned Vahagn Chalakhiani as
an enemy of Georgia, and said he reminded him of a convicted criminal,
Vladislav Ardzimba. He criticized the new government for releasing
Chalakhiani.
Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, who at the time was participating
in the World Economic Forum in Davos, said the Armenian Patriarch
raised the issue of releasing Vahang Chakhaliani when he visited
Armenia.
"When I was asked about it I redirected them saying that I wasn't
competent on this issue. I do not decide these issues," he said.
But the president said the prime minister's statement unsatisfactory,
as the only argument was that the Armenian patriarch raised this
issue. He said Ivanishvili will not be able to run away from a decision
which he personally made.
"This is a very heavy responsibility for Georgia's security," the
president said.
Later, Sozar Subari, Georgia's Prison Minister, responded by accusing
members of Saakashvili's National Movement (UNM) party of making
incorrect statements. He explained that Chakhaliani was accused of
less serious crimes, specifically violating public order, hooliganism
and a weapon charge.
Subari said the Armenian Patriarch had not made any demands, but
only asked what was happening regarding Chakhaliani's case and why
he wasn't on the list of political prisoners.
The amnesty law applies to the sections of the law which he was
charged under; that's why he was released.
January 26, the Armenian Church, the Patriarchate, issued a statement
calling on UNM party leaders and the president to avoid making
provocative statements.
"Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and Vano Merabishvili,
Secretary General of the National Movement, claimed that Vahagn
Chakhaliani, which they turned into a political prisoner, is a
separatist, agent of a foreign special service and enemy of the
Georgian state," the statement reads, adding that by those statements
they admitted that under the UNM government there was no justice
at all.
"If Chalakhiani really was a separatist and an agent, why wasn't he
convicted under the appropriate sections of the criminal code?"
The statement by the Armenian Church says that there is only one
explanation: that the former government used the justice system
against its political opponents. The statement also draws attention
to another statement by President Saakashvili in which he talked
about Armen Gevorgyan, and accused him of being a spy.
"How was it possible that he only read those surnames in a list of 200
political prisoners and use it for his own goals?" the statement says,
adding that despite political inconveniences, they are sure friendly
relations will continue between the two peoples.
President Saakashvili's administration on Monday responded to the
statement by expressing respect for compatriot Armenians and the
Armenian Diocese in Georgia.
The statement says the Georgian president has stated many times that
it is categorically unacceptable when political or social groups
build political perspectives based on different phobias including
'Armenophobia'.
"On this background, the latest statement by the Armenian Diocese in
Georgia is surprising, as the Georgian President in his statement
underlined that the ethnic origins of Vahagn Chakhaliani has no
importance. It is about criminal actions by a citizen of Georgia,"
the administration writes, expressing hope that the misunderstanding
was only caused by a lack of information.
President Saakashvili Monday once again personally responded to the
release of Vahang Chakhaliani, saying that it is a problem. He said
this while meeting with refugees from the Georgian breakaway region
Abkhazia.
He once again referred to Chakhaliani as 'an extremely dangerous
criminal'.
"They hit back: If he was such a criminal, why was he as sentenced for
being a separatist," Saakashvili said. "Pardon me, but this parliament
granted status of political refugees to people participating in
rebellion against the state, Russian spies, and wouldn't they put
separatists on the list of political prisoners? Of course they would,
and release them as political heroes."
http://dfwatch.net/armenian-diocese-gets-involved-in-georgian-amnesty-debate-85434