12 February 2020, 11:27
Rights defenders demand to transfer Georgian archpriest Mamaladze from prison to clinic
The NGO "Human Rights Education and Monitoring Centre" (HREMC) has lodged a lawsuit to the Tbilisi City Court demanding to postpone the sentence to Giorgi Mamaladze in order to place him to hospital.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 6, the Georgian President, Salome Zurabishvili, pardoned five persons, but not Mamaladze. Rights defenders and archpriest's relatives have asked to postpone the sentence because of deterioration of his health.
"Archpriest Mamaladze has fallen victim both to law enforcement and church systems, and to political intrigue. He is under round-the-clock guard; his freedom of religion is limited. Even when he seeks medical help, it's not properly rendered to him," Tamty Mikeladze, the director of the "Centre for Equality Policy" under the NGO HREMC, stated on air of the "Rustavi-2" TV Channel.
In 2017, Giorgi Mamaladze was sentenced to nine years in prison for preparing a murder of the secretary of the Georgian Patriarch and illegal firearm possession. The Mamaladze's family said that they would publicize information discrediting the Georgian Patriarchate, in particular, about "paedophilia and sodomy." Mamaladze's case has caused a crisis in the Church, rights defenders assert.
The examination has found that while in custody, Mamaladze received a trauma, which was not timely recognized by the prison administration; as a result, it undermined his health.
Mamaladze's detention, inquiry and the trial were held with gross violations of human rights, accompanied by persecution by political figures, Mr Mikeladze has noted.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 12, 2020 at 06:04 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: Galina Gotua Source: CK correspondent
