Ex-PMs allegations unjustified, Ministry report claims

An investigation of alleged blackmail and mistreatment of former Prime Minister Vano Merabishvili in prison has found no unlawful activity took place.

The Ministry of Corrections and Legal Assistance (MCLA)  finished its inspection of the #9 prison following accusations by Merabishvili and could not find any facts to substantiate his claims. Interim results of the investigation were released today.

Merabishvilis lawyer believed MCLAs inspection was not objective.  

The ministry stated its General Inspection revised 377 GB of video materials recorded by 18 surveillance cameras between the #9 prison and the Penitentiary Department, from 12am December 13, 2013, to 12am December 14, 2013.

In December last year, Merabishvili, who was in pre-trial detention, said he was blackmailed while in prison by ex-Chief Prosecutor Otar Partskhaladze (who resigned on December 30 citing unrelated reasons). Merabishvili said he was taken out of his prison cell with his head covered by his own jacket and was taken to an unknown location, which he suspected was a department of the penitentiary system.  

At the time, the Minister of Corrections denied Merabishvilis accusations however the opposition demanded the MCLA to reveal the recordings of the night Merabishvili said he was taken out the prison.  

"After revising the materials significant factual circumstances for the case have not been discovered," the Ministry stated.

"On December 17, 2013, when Merabishvili made his statement, recordings of 13 to 14 December did not existing anymore since the video surveillance appliances deletes recordings automatically every 24 hours in order to ensure space for new recordings", the Ministry said.  

Employees of the #9 prison were questioned during the investigation and they have strongly refused the fact Merabishvili left the prison territory. So as a result of this investigation, claims by Merabishvili have not been confirmed, the Ministry stated.  

Merabishvili's lawyer, Davit Khazhalia, argued that he knew there would be no result after the internal investigation by MCLA.  

"We suggested that MCLA would not reveal the recordings and say they were deleted, while there is an accepted practice that video materials are being stored in the servers for one month. As for the questioning of the employees, it is clear that they would say whatever is acceptable for the Ministry since they are working for them," Khazhalia stated.  

He said he would take further action as soon as the General Inspection of the MCLA officially informed them of the investigation results.  

Moreover, the results of the investigation have been criticized by United National Movement. As the UNM representatives, Giorgi Gabashvili said, they demand the Minster of Corrections Sozar Subari to be resigned.

Besides this, the US Abassador to Georgia, Richard Norland said today that Georgian government is in much better environment to ensure proper rule of law and legal proceedings reagrding Merabishvili's case.  

MCLA began investigating Merabishvilis accusation against Partskhaladze on December 23 last year.