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Wednesday, 16 October , 2024
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Interagency Task Force for Free and Fair Elections (IATF) for Parliamentary Elections Holds its Eighth Session

The Interagency Task Force for Free and Fair Elections (IATF) convened to review reports from representatives of the Central Election Commission (CEC) regarding the registration process of election candidates and the establishment of polling stations in other countries.

During the session, relevant agencies also provided updates on their responses to issues identified through media monitoring. The commission sought further clarification about a statement made by Salome Zurabishvili, which proposed the creation of a coordination platform within the Presidential Administration on Election Day, October 26. However, since the President's representative was not present at the meeting, the commission plans to invite him to the next session for additional discussion.

The session was chaired by the Minister of Justice, Rati Bregadze, and attended by Deputy Minister Beka Dzamashvili, along with heads of various public agencies, IATF members, representatives of international and local monitoring organizations, and political parties

The IATF, established under the Election Code, aims to prevent violations of election legislation by public officials and respond to any infractions. It is led by Minister Rati Bregadze.

For inquiries regarding the commission’s activities, the IATF can be contacted via email at iatf@justice.gov.ge or through the hotline: (+995) 599 85 00 11.

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Strasbourg Court Confirms Davit Kezerashvili’s Guilt in Embezzling Georgian Army Funds, Rejects Claims of Political Persecution

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has issued its decision in the case of Davit Kezerashvili v. Georgia. At a briefing, Justice Minister Anri Okhanashvili discussed the ruling, which upheld the verdict against Kezerashvili.

“The Court concluded that, while serving as Defense Minister shortly before the August 2008 war, Davit Kezerashvili embezzled €5,060,000 (approximately 15 million GEL at today's exchange rate) intended for the Georgian army. It also determined there was no political persecution involved in his prosecution. The Supreme Court of Georgia's verdict finding Kezerashvili guilty was deemed well-founded, and no violation of the presumption of innocence was found,” Okhanashvili stated.

Okhanashvili outlined the fraudulent activities carried out by Kezerashvili:

"During his tenure as Defense Minister, Kezerashvili unlawfully signed a fictitious agreement with an offshore company in a single day to provide combat training for the Georgian army. This agreement bypassed the General Staff of the Defense Forces. In reality, no training occurred, and the €5,060,000 allocated for the Georgian army was deliberately misappropriated."

Anri Okhanashvili emphasized that the Court also dismissed Kezerashvili’s demand for €15,000 in moral damages. Kezerashvili, who enriched himself by defrauding the Georgian army, sought additional compensation for moral damage. The Strasbourg Court firmly rejected this claim. It confirmed the seriousness of Kezerashvili’s crime and upheld the Supreme Court of Georgia's ruling as lawful.

The Justice Minister congratulated the Georgian state and armed forces on their success in the European Court and acknowledged those who defended Georgia’s interests:


“I congratulate the Georgian state, army, and people on this significant victory. I extend my gratitude to the Ministry of Justice staff and the Prosecutor’s Office for their dedicated work. We now look forward to seeing how our European partners, particularly those who previously characterized Kezerashvili as a media advocate, respond to this decision affirming his guilt,” Okhanashvili remarked.