20:48, 26 July 2019

Father of Georgian resident killed in special operation resumes his protest near parliament

In Tbilisi, despite the ban of the law enforcement bodies, Malkhaz Machalikashvili, the father of a resident of the Pankisi Gorge, killed in a special operation, set up a tent in Rustaveli Avenue.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 25, law enforcers did not allow Malkhaz Machalikashvili to set up a tent in front of the Georgian parliament building and referred to the repair works allegedly planned in Rustaveli Avenue.

For more than a year, family members of Temirlan Machalikashvili hold protest actions with the demand to punish the persons guilty for the man's murder. On June 6, Temirlan Machalikashvili's relatives filed a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

In response to a request filed by Malkhaz Machalikashvili, the City Mayoralty informed him that no repair works were planned in Rustaveli Avenue; furthermore, officials assured that they would not limit "the constitutional rights of citizens to peaceful assembly," the "News-Georgia" reports.

Let us remind you that 19-year-old Temirlan Machalikashvili was wounded at his home during the special operation on December 26, 2017. Two weeks later, he died in the hospital. The law enforcers claimed that Temirlan Machalikashvili tried to throw a grenade at them. The young man's family members claim that he was shot dead in his bed.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 26, 2019 at 01:58 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.