Scathing Remarks from the Public Defender

For a strong critique of the Saakashvili government from the Georgian Public Defender, Sozar Subari, take a look at this article.

Here is the beginning:

Actual Situation

As a result of Russian barbarian aggression, the situation in Georgia today has become extremely difficult. Many civilians and soldiers have been killed during the war in August and thousands of our fellow citizens have become victims of ethnic cleansing and have been forced to flee their homes, their property has been destroyed.

Notwithstanding optimistic statements made by the government, the severe reality is, that nobody knows, when they will be able to return to their homes. The population of nearby villages of the conflict zone is unprotected and is under constant threat to be killed, robbed and their homes burned down – numerous evidences of this are in place. Russian occupants have set up control posts in Abkhazia, Shida Kartli, Imereti and Samegrelo, where Georgian citizens are stopped and are restricted to travel, their documents are being checked, they are being searched and humiliated.

Notwithstanding the promise of Georgia’s President, that he would dedicate his presidency to the unification of Georgia, Ksani gorge – Akhalgori district, Kodori gorge – so called Zemo Apkhazeti, Didi and Patara Liakhvi gorges and Prone gorge have now been added to the list of already lost territories – in total around 100 Georgian villages.

The Georgian population of Akhalgori is forced to either accept South Ossetian or Russian citizenship or leave their homes. Cities have been bombed, people have been killed and the population has received terrible psychological trauma.

Speaking out the truth has become extremely important and vital especially today, when significant part of Georgian territory is occupied by Russia, as facing the truth can be the only solution for overcoming the crisis

Georgia’s defeat has been stipulated by the authoritarian rule in the country;