02 January 2020, 13:39
Machalikashvili announces re-collection of signatures for inquiry into his son's murder
After the authorities removed his tent set up near the Georgian parliament, Malkhaz Machalikashvili has informed about disappearance of 22,000 signatures gathered in support of the parliamentary investigation into the death of his son. Machalikashvili has announced a new campaign, saying that he needs some 12,000 signatures more.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in the evening on December 30, 2019, authorities removed the tents of protesters, who demand changes in the country's electoral system, set up in Rustaveli Avenue in front of the parliament, including the tent of Malkhaz Machalikashvili.
Malkhaz Machalikashvili is the father of the 19-year-old Temirlan Machalikashvili, who was shot dead during a special operation on December 26, 2017. His relatives claim that he was shot dead while in bed. For more than a year, Temirlan's relatives and fellow villagers keep holding protests demanding to punish those responsible for his murder. On June 15, Malkhaz Machalikashvili received the opposition's support in collecting signatures for the creation of a parliamentary commission for investigating the circumstances of the special operation, during which his son was killed.
Malkhaz Machalikashvili has announced the disappearance of 22,000 signatures to the petition demanding to set up a parliamentary inquiry commission for investigating the death of his son; he has blamed law enforcers for the disappearance of signatures. "When policemen took the tent, 22,000 signatures to the petition demanding to set up an inquiry parliamentary commission on the murder of my son Temirlan disappeared," Malkhaz told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.
On December 31, Malkhaz Machalikashvili began a re-collection of signatures. "Over two days, we gathered several thousand, but we need 12,000 signatures more to gain the necessary 100,000 for the legislative initiative to set up the respective parliamentary commission," Gela Bibilashvili, a Malkhaz's friend, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.
The collection of signatures to the petition will continue on January 5, when Malkhaz will again come to the Georgian parliament, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has reported.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 2, 2020 at 01:43 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: Beslan Kmuzov Source: CK correspondent
