Prosecutor’s Office launches investigation into alleged violence which involved MPs, TV channel founder
Tsereteli had been summoned by the Prosecutor's Office and was being interviewed as a witness over the case. Photo: pog.gov.ge.
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The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia on Tuesday said it had launched an investigation into alleged acts of violence and threats which involved members of Georgian Parliament on the grounds of the United States Embassy in Tbilisi on June 30.
The state body said the investigation had been launched last week after receiving a communication from the Embassy, in which the diplomatic representation expressed readiness to cooperate with relevant agencies for a potential investigation.
The Office said it had been in “active communication” with relevant representatives of the Embassy to conduct “necessary procedural actions” to investigate the incident before the launch of the formal inquiry.
Accusations from Vakhtang Tsereteli, the founder of opposition-minded TV Pirveli channel, who accused lawmakers of the ruling Georgian Dream party of physically assaulting him, have been followed by statements by Anri Okhanashvili and Levan Mgaloblishvili, the members of the ruling party who are the objects of the allegation. They submitted their own statements accusing Tsereteli of violence and threats to the Prosecutor’s Office.
Tsereteli had been summoned by the Prosecutor's Office and was being interviewed as a witness over the case.
The United States Embassy in Tbilisi on Thursday said it was looking into reports of an altercation during celebrations for the country’s Independence Day on the Embassy compound earlier during the day.
The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia has said it will appeal the Tbilisi City Court’s decision to change the qualification in its sentencing of Nika Gvaramia, the founder of the Mtavari Arkhi channel and former General Director of the Rustavi 2 channel, after the delivery of the verdict on Monday.
The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia has denied the appeal of imprisoned Georgian former president Mikheil Saakashvili’s legal team to identify him as a victim, calling it an “unfounded request."
The United States Embassy to Georgia has denounced hasty legislative amendments proposed by the ruling Georgian Dream party, stating that the replacement of the State Inspector’s Service with two new agencies ‘undermined government accountability.’
The United States embassy “appreciates” the support and cooperation provided by the Georgian law enforcement agencies in response to the security issue on the territory of the embassy in Tbilisi, the embassy said in its statement on Tuesday.