Son of the first President of Georgia detained for political reasons, his mother asserts

The charges moved against Tsotne, son of the first President of Georgia Zviad Gamsakhurdia, who was detained by the police yesterday, on October 27, were far-fetched, since the authorities are persecuting Gamsakhurdia on political grounds. This was stated by Tsotne's mother - Manana Archvadze-Gamsakhurdia.

On October 27, Tsotne Gamsakhurdia was interrogated at the police station of the Veriyskiy District of the Georgian capital and sent to the temporary detention facility. The police suspect him of inflicting a stomach wound to his neighbour David Badzhelidze, who was brought to the Republic's Hospital and operated on. Nothing is reported about the reasons of their quarrel. The incident happened near the so-called "Kolkhsk Tower" - the Gamsakhurdia family house in Tbilisi.

Mother of the detainee - Manana Archvadze-Gamsakhurdia - believes that Tsotne himself was attacked by Badzhelidze brothers. "My son was attacked by David Badzhelidze and his brother; Tsotne received a blow with a metal rod on his head, and he also was taken to hospital where his wound was stitched. He has brain concussion; and before that, he was interrogated by the police for a long time," she said.

"The point is that before Tsotne had been accused of a plot with the aim of overthrow the state power. And this charge is also far-fetched," asserts Ms Archvadze-Gamsakhurdia. "But they told me many times in power structures that he would be convicted not as a political prisoner but as a criminal offender. This is why they staged the fight and detained him."

According to the mother, on September 3, litigation on the first charge was to begin, but for unknown reasons the trial was not opened. "The authorities have made everything to move a criminal charge instead of political one. Now Tsotne is in a temporary isolator," she has noted.

The GZT.RU writes that law enforcement bodies made no official statements on the occasion of Tsotne Gamsakhurdia's detention.

Keti Bekauri, Tsotne's advocate, also said that her client was not involved in the incident, but was a victim himself. "Tsotne told me that yesterday late in the evening, when he was on his way home, an unknown person attacked him and struck him on the head. Gamsakhurdia-junior lost consciousness and regain it only at home, where he was detained by the police," Ms Bekauri said. The GHN reports with reference to the advocate that no accusation was presented to Tsotne yet.