Elisashvili's Lawyers Ask Prosecutor General to Lift Restrictions on Contact with Family

Lawyers of Aleko Elisashvili have sent a written appeal to Prosecutor General Giorgi Gvarakidze. They requested that the opposition politician be given the opportunity to enjoy the same rights as other prisoners held in the penitentiary institution.

According to the lawyers, they recently received a ruling under which Elisashvili's right to telephone communication and meetings with family members is again restricted. The human rights defenders consider these restrictions illegal and unfounded, and state that they "serve only political persecution".

According to the lawyers, more than a year after the incident, the investigative agency has still not returned the equipment owned by the family, although "the verdict has been reached and the equipment does not require further examination".

Lawyer Archil Chofikashvili told the media that Elisashvili's contact with the outside world has been restricted, which they have appealed in court. He said they will also turn to the Prosecutor General so that the issue is clarified and the illegality being applied to the convicted person for one year is ended.

According to Chofikashvili, Elisashvili has been deprived of basic rights guaranteed to all prisoners, including telephone communication with family members and his lawyer. The lawyer says that computers, phones and other items seized by the investigation, which belong to Elisashvili's family members, have still not been returned, even though the investigation established that they have no connection to the case under investigation or the specific conviction.

Lawyer Giorgi Rekhviashvili states that the purpose of the restrictions is to punish Elisashvili for his political activity, and that in this case "the Mdinaradze factor is also one of the main determining factors".