The Announcement of the NGO Rehabilitation Centre for Victims of Torture “Empathy”

The Announcement of the NGO Rehabilitation Centre for Victims of Torture “Empathy”

The RCT/Empathy will hold a press conference on the 22^nd of March, 2019, at 13:00, in the office of RCT/ Empathy in Tbilisi, 23 Simon Kandelaki street, on the issue:The Death of Irakli Kvaratskhelia at the Russian Military Base in Suspicious Circumstances and Priorities of Geneva Discussions Format.

At the press conference the center “Empathy” will introduce a strategy for the protection of rights of Irakli Kvaratskhelia on domestic and international levels to the broad society, and calls to the Government of Georgia to immediately respond to the following questions:

1. Identification and prosecution of responsible persons of Russian Occupational Military Base, situated in Gali region, for the facts of unlawful captivity of human beings.
2. Initiation of enrollment of the above mentioned leader persons in the list of “Otkhozoria-Tatunashvili”.
3. The centre “Empathy” considers, that in generally, captivity of civilians on occupied territories, especially in Detention Facilities of Russian Military Bases, in inhuman conditions, grossly violates principles of International Humanitarian Law, for what the centre “Empathy” appeals to the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture requesting special visit.  
4. In view of this, we demand taking in foreground request for prohibition of such actions in Geneva Discussions Format, as well as in all international formats.

From March 13, 2019, the center “Empathy” implements Irakli Kvaratskhelia’s legal protection with mutual involvement of the Legal and Expertise Departments. 

Address: 23 Simon Kandelaki Street, Tbilisi, 0160, Georgia

Hot Line: +995 599 885468/28

press release Eng. 21.03.19