Gakharia-Linked Civil Servants Face Pressure, Dismissal, Public Defender Alleges

The Office of the Public Defender on September 1 voiced concern on the “alleged discriminatory dismissal of dozens of people for their political views,” most of them affiliated with former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia.

According to the Public Defender, 62 employees were subjected to various forms of pressure, with most of them have confirmed the dismissal in a conversation with the Ombudsperson representatives, citing kinship, friendship, or good relations with members of the ex-Prime Minister’s party.

The affected individuals were dismissed from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, municipal agencies, and various public entities run by municipal self-governments and other public institutions, the Public Defender stated.

These persons said, according to the Public Defender, that their superiors urged them to file for resignation. Those that did not comply with the instructions faced disciplinary sanctions, it added.

The Public Defender also said it sent the cases of 34 individuals to the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Interior Ministry for investigation.

Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili yesterday did not answer a reporter’s question about the alleged dismissals.

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