Breaking news
On December 15 2009 the office of the Inclusive Foundation, a well known Georgian LGBT organisation, was raided by the police. They did not wear police uniforms, did not provide a search warrant, did not inform about their identity or agency they represented and did not explain the purpose of their intrusion. Members of the LGBT community were present in the office during the raid for a regular meeting of the “Women’s Club”. The men confiscated cell phones of all those present in the office, did not allow them to contact their families, and made degrading and humiliating remarks, such as ‘perverts’, ‘sick persons’, Satanists. They threatened to take photos of the women and disseminate them to reveal their sexual orientation. They also threatened ‘to kill’ and ‘tear to pieces’ one of the leaders of the organisation, Eka Agdgomelashvili, if she did not stop demanding the search warrant and identification documents of the police.
Paata Sabelashvili, the leader of the organization, was arrested as a result of the raid. Soon after arrest he confessed to the possession of 8 grams of marijuana. However, because he made the confession before seeing his lawyer, without the presence of anyone except law enforcement officials, the validity and voluntary character of the confession is highly suspicious.
Staff members of the organization are under continuous surveillance up till now. Their homes, movement in the city and office are under constant surveillance by cars full of men without uniform. One such car is permanently stationed outside the entrance to the house of one of the staff members.
The raid on the Inclusive Foundation represents a logical continuation of the policy of repression of non-governmental organizations conducted by the Georgian government. It aims at marginalizing, intimidating and discrediting human rights defenders in Georgia.
Inclusive - Foundation
*via Gay Caucasus
Georgian International Media Centre: Different "threat", same tactics from the Georgian police
ReplyDeletePopular Armenian online news outlet Tert.am on Well-Known Georgian LGBT Organization Raided by Police, Leader Arrested
ReplyDeleteMore details re detention of Paata Sabelashvili, head of Georgian LGBT group Inclusive Foundation
ReplyDeleteEurope's gay rights group ILGA-Europe condemns police raid of member organisation in Georgia, demands immediate release of its board member Paata Sabelashvili (statement and pictures)
ReplyDeleteArmenian groups condemn violence against gays in Georgia and call for immediate release of detained Georgian gay rights activist Paata Sabelashvilli
ReplyDeleteGreat news: Head of Georgian LGBT group Inclusive Foundation Paata Sabelashvilli has been released today, without any further charges, as per ILGA-Europe.
ReplyDeleteFirst case from Georgia to the European Court of Human Rights concerning police homophobia
ReplyDelete