MINELRES: Attack on Migrants NGO in Georgia

[MINELRES moderator]

Original sender: Ucha Nanuashvili <ishrg@caucasus.net>


On July 15, 2002 at 11:00 a.m., Nugzar Sulashvili survived another
armed attack on his family at his home. Sulashvili is the chairman of
the International Union: "Center for Foreign Citizens' and Migrants'
Rights and Security" (FCRS) - a Tbilisi based NGO. Although the
aggressor intended to murder Sulashvili and his wife and
daughter, the neighbors were able to step in and save them.

The unraveling of events after the attack shows that the attacker was
an agent of the secret service.  Despite his crime, he was released
immediately after his detention and the police have refrained from
initiating an investigation.

Nugzar Sulashvili and his family have been terrorized with anonymous
phone calls and letters threatening the lives of Sulashvili and his
daughter.

The FCRS works against trafficking and for the last two years provided
hundreds of victims with juridical, medical, psychological and
financial assistance.  The organization has also revealed the
government�s involvement in trafficking.  During the past three years
several acts of vandalism have been perpetrated against them and seven
criminal cases have been brought to the attention of the police, but
none have been investigated.  

On March 12, 2000 several unidentified persons attacked the office of
the organization and destroyed office equipment and important
documents.  The same happened on July 18, 2000.

On November 4, 2000, unidentified persons attacked and severely beat
the first deputy of the Chairman of the organization, Anton Robakidze,
who was about to go to trial.  On this occasion, they succeeded in
capturing documents.

On January 2, 2001 at 11 p.m. unidentified persons attacked the FCRS
chairman�s car, while he and his family were traveling from Rustavi to
Tbilisi.  The attackers took several documents, but after the event,
they appeared to have been victims of a planned accident.

On August 14, 2001 in Tbilisi airport, materials about trafficking
disappeared.  These documents, obtained by Nugzar Sulashvili,
contained information implying officials� involvement in trafficking.
In addition, several video tapes were misplaces, some of them prepared
by Sulashvili, and others about American Coalition Against
trafficking.

On May 13, 2002, unidentified persons attacked and beat Ioseb
Sulashvili on his way home.  They warned him that he should cease to
investigate activities about employment firms participating in
trafficking. 

In conclusion, as we have mentioned above, on July 15, 2002, another
attack against Nugzar Sulashvili was perpetrated.  The purpose of this
last attack was to prevent him from publishing the 2001-2002 annual
report on trafficking in Georgia.  Travel agencies and high officials
in the Government involved in trafficking are implicated in this
report.