European Court of Human Rights is to try second case against Georgia

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) set November 16 as a date of holding hearing on the merits regarding the case of Tengiz Asanidze, who is currently in custody in Batumi, the Ajarian Autonomous Republic.

Asanidze appealed to the ECHR claiming that his detention is unlawful and that he has no effective remedy available from the national courts to secure his release.

The applicant was the mayor of the town of Batumi. He was arrested on October 4, 1993 and charged with illegal financial dealings in the Batumi Tobacco Manufacturing Company. In 1994 he was sentenced to eight years? imprisonment and orders were made for the confiscation of his assets. Asanidze was given a pardon by President Shevardnadze in 1999, but was not released by the local authorities of Ajara.

In 1999 the applicant, who remained in custody despite the presidential pardon, was charged in a new case and sentenced to twelve-years? imprisonment by the Supreme Court of the Ajarian Autonomous Republic. Although his conviction was quashed by the Georgian Supreme Court, he remains in custody of the Ajarian authorities.

There is information Tengiz Asanidze's state of health is deteriorating.

This is the second case against Georgia in the ECHR. On September 16, the ECHR found admissible the application of 13 Chechens who were arrested by Georgian border guards last August. They protest against their extradition to the Russian Federation.