Footballer Demetradze turns to ECtHR against Georgia's Govt

Georgian football player Georgiy Demetradze, convicted for "membership in thieves' world", has addressed the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Strasbourg with a complaint against the government of Georgia, said his advocate Marika Pkhaladze.

Georgiy Demetradze was detained in July 2010 in Tbilisi and accused of having links with the "thieves' world". Along with him, citizens of Georgia David Gagnidze and Kakha Misireli were detained. The police said that they had taken part in tote scams with bets during the Football World Cup. On March 23, 2011, the Tbilisi City Court sentenced Demetradze to six years in prison, finding him guilty of "membership in the thieves' world."

The defence tried to appeal against the verdict; however, last July, the Tbilisi Court of Appeal upheld the verdict of the City Court in respect of the football player Georgiy Demetradze. His advocates announced their intention to challenge the decision of the Tbilisi Court of Appeal at the country's Supreme Court and the ECtHR in Strasbourg.

"The point is in violating Articles 3 (prohibition of torture), 6 (right to fair trial) and 8 (right to respect for private and family life) of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)," said Ms Pkhaladze.

Regarding the timing for consideration of the complaint by the ECtHR, according to the lawyer, this is a very long process, and it is difficult to talk in advance how much time the consideration of the complaint will take.

"Within a month we anticipate the decision of the ECtHR that the case has been accepted for consideration; and then a new phase will start, which takes a long time," said the lawyer.

According to her story, "inhuman treatment" of Demetradze was recorded at the correction institution No. 6 in Rustavi. In particular, during two weeks he was not allowed to use his credit card, and he could not buy at the store of the institution hygiene articles and foodstuffs, the "News-Georgia" reports.

With regard to violations of Article 6 of the Convention, then, according to the lawyer, the decisions of all the three instances were illegal. Ms Pkhaladze said that despite the absence of crime attributes, Demetradze was accused of "membership in the thieves' world" and sentenced to 6 years in prison, the "Georgia Online" reports.

"Along with that, we have proofs of a breach of Article 8 of the ECHR. In fact, Demetradze was detained because he was a friend of Vato Kipiani and David Gagnidze, who figured in the case. According to Article 8 of the ECHR, everyone shall have the right to privacy and to choose the circle of friends," said Pkhaladze. According to her story, the Demetradze's case has practically no real proofs.