Adelkhanov: in Georgia, oppositionist burnt down his car and accused the authorities

The police have cleared the case on the fact that in the Kakheti District of Georgia oppositionist Vano Lomidze had burnt down his insured car and accused enemies of the opposition of the arson. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told about it by Emil Adelkhanov, deputy board chair of the Caucasian Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development.

"It's a most shocking case, when one Kakheti resident deliberately burnt down his insured car with the aim to later accuse his political opponents. He is from the opposition and took part in the rallies. He's just pled guilty. The gasoline can that was found near the burned down car had his fingerprints," said Mr Adelkhanov.

According to his version, the police took no measures to the "victim". However, he can now forget about his insurance compensation.

On the other hand, Shota Khizanishvili, press secretary of Georgia's MIA, said by telephone to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the oppositionist was arrested and placed into the SIZO. According to the Georgian Criminal Code, Lomidze can be convicted under the "swindle" article.

At the same time, Emil Adelkhanov said that beatings of oppositionists continue in Georgia. "The incidents aren't sporadic, they happen every night here. Attackers are in black masks and dressed as civilians; they use rubber truncheons, as a rule, which you can't buy anywhere," said the expert.

According to Adelkhanov, attackers never say what they want. "Although once the hackneyed boys said that they were told like that: 'If we see you at a rally again, we'll tear your heads off.'," he said.

Soso Panuashvili, an expert of the Tbilisi branch of the Human Rights organization, who is running his daily monitoring of the civil disobedience actions of the opposition, said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the incident with the arson had some "strange circumstances", which should be still cleared.

Mr Panuashvili has confirmed information about continued beatings of oppositionists: "Unidentified persons, usually moving in jeeps, are the culprits."

"Demonstrators are attacked in small streets or near the places where they live. Regular rally visitors or opposition activists are beaten. However, we can't state that they are beaten for intimidation. It can't be established," said Panuashvili.

In his opinion, the attacks are backed by the authorities of Georgia, who do not dare to start a frank dispersal of the opposition. "I think this is a deliberate policy of the government," he has added.