Monday.  Issue Two.  10*28*1996

INFORMATION OF THE DAY

   * A PROTEST ACTION WILL START TODAY IN THE OFFICE OF THE ALL GEORGIA
AS- SOCIATION ON DEFENDING HUMAN RIGHTS.  As the president of the
Association Georgi Kervalishvili informed at his press conference, today,
the partici- pants of the action demand for the capital punishment to be
abolished in Georgia and for freeing all of the political prisoners.  (For
more informa- tion see "Press conference"). 

  * THE ISSUE OF ABOLISHING CAPITAL PUNISHMENT WILL NOT BE DISCUSSED THIS
WEEK. This decision was made at the session of the Bureau of the
parliament today. The session took place behind closed doors.  As the
deputy chairman of the parliament Georgi Kobakhidze told the correspondent
of BGI the issue was postponed because it is not ready and is not agreed
with the government yet. 

   * DESPITE OF THE FACT THAT THE GEORGIAN SOCIETY IS AGAINST ABOLISHING
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, THE PARLIAMENT OF GEORGIA WILL HAVE TO MAKE THIS DECI-
SION. This was said to the correspondent of BGI by the chairman of the
par- liamentary subcommittee on penitantial reforms and the issues of
accused Elena Tevdoradze. She stressed, that this issue is important not
only beca- use the membership of Georgia of the Europian Union depands on
abolishing the capital punishment, but also because the number of people
sentenced with capital punishment grows.  (For more information see
"Interview"). 

P R E S S  C O N F E R E N C E

                       Today the president of the All Georgia association
                       of defending human rights Georgi Kervalishvili held
                       a press conference. Correspondent of BGI Vika 
                       Kavzharadze reports:

   Georgi Kervalishvili started his press conference by informing about
the letter which he sent to the Europian parliament in August.  He wrote
about the political prisoners in Georgia, about the fact, that there is a
police regime in the country. He also asked the Europian parliament to
send observers to Georgia.
   He recieved an answer not long ago.  It is planned that the observers
will arrive at the end of this year.
   Georgi Kervalishvili said, that the parliament of Georgia will discuss
the issue of abolishing capital punishment, influenced by the progressive
forces of Georgia and Europe.
   He informed, that today is the 6th anniversary of the first democratic
elections in Georgia, and that the Association intends to celebrate it as
a holiday. He accused recent government in the fact, that Georgia joined
NIS and stressed, that the government does everything it can to legalize
Russi- an forces being on the territory of Georgia.
   After this Georgi Kervalishvili made two statements. 
   First statement: 
   - We asked the government to abolish capital punishment a lot of times. 
We are starting a sitting protest action in our office from today.  We
also demand for the manifest about freeing all of the political prisoners.
We hope that all of the political parties and organizations will support
us.
   Second statement: 
   - We demand for the editor of the newspaper "Noe" Givi Alaznispireli to
be freed from prison. There will never be democracy in Georgia, if it's
citizens will not have the right to show their point of view.
   After this the questions followed: 
   - What do you think about the fact, that they intend to replace capital
punishment with imprisoning for life.
   - I think it is not humane .  Capital punishment has to be replaced
with 25 years in prison. But if we consider that in our sells there are 45
people at a time including prisoners who have turbeculoses, the accused
will not be able to survive for more then 2 years.
   - What do you think about the relations of Georgia and Russia? 
   - Everything bad happening in Georgia is caused by Russia. Until the
integration between these countries is finished, nothing good is going to
happen.

I N T E R V I E W

                          Correspondent of BGI Tomas Chagerishvili 
                          interviewed the chairman of the parliamentary 
                          subcommittee on penitantial reforms and the
                          issues of accused Elena Tevdoradze.

   - The issue of abolishing the capital punishment in Georgia is planned
to be discussed in the parliament in close future.  Is this issue so
important already? 
   - It is said in the Constitution of Georgia, that capital punishment
has to be abolished in 2 years after the Constitution is approved. 
Abolishing capital punishment is one of the terms for Georgia becoming the
member of the Europian Union. The number of the people sentenced with
capital punish- ment grows.  Approximately 50 persons are sentenced with
capital punishment for today.  The way they are kept in prisons are far
from the international norms.  So, this issue is very important today. 
   - Will the changes in the law be made? 
   - Not yet.  A lot of tome is needed for that.  The changes will first
be made in the criminal code.  The parliamentary committee on
jurisdiction, constitutional issues and legality will work on this.  I
will join them too. 
   - What will capital punishment be replaced with? 
   - It is hard to answer this question yet.  Our penitantial system is
not ready for that yet.  People who are imprisoned for life have to be
kept in separate sells.  This is impossible today.  A real decision has to
be made. 
   - Is that kind of decision more ?  Person will have to spend the rest
of his life alone in the sell... 
   - This happens everywere in the world.  That kind of accused can
violate the law very badly even in prison.  That is why they have to be
isolated from others. 
   - What do you think will the reaction of the society be when capital
punishment is abolished? 
   - The majority is for keeping capital punishment.  And not only in
Georgia. Questionaries in a lot of the countries of the world prove this. 
Even in the countries were capital punishment was abolished long time ago. 
   - Will not the abolishment of capital punishment result in the number
of crimes committed growing? 
   - This issue has been being studied since 1950. This has not happened
in any of the countries. 
   - Are there any deputies in the parliament who are against abolishing
capital punishment? 
   - Of course there are. But I think the parliament will make this
decision anyway. 
   - If the parliament does make this decision, will it concern those who
have already been sentenced? 
   - Of course it will. 
   - For how long haven't they punished those sentenced with capital
punishment in Georgia?
   - As much as I know they haven't shot anyone for last two and half
years. 
                             ** ** ** **

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