Ballot-Paper Hijack Suspect Released

(Tbilisi, Civil Georgia, July 11, 2002) – Tbilisi district court decided to release Shota Tinikashvili, suspected in hijacking of voting ballots during the local elections in Rustavi (main town of Kvemo Kartli region) on July 11. Court assumed that evidences were taken from Tinikashvili illegally.

Shota Tinikashvili, who is the former bodyguard of Levan Mamaladze, influential governor of Kvemo Kartli region, plead guilty at first but later denied accusation saying that the law enforcers took the evidences from him under pressure.

Some of the political parties, especially Mikheil Saakashvili’s National Movement and Zurab Zhvania’s United Democrats demanded resignation of Levan Mamaladze, as they claimed governor was also involved in organizing of ballot-papers’ hijacking.