The Public Defender is echoing the statement of the Minister of Justice released by one of the media outlets on 1 March, 2017, according to which, Ucha Nanuashvili served as a witness for Ivane Merabishvili in the Strasbourg Court. We’d like to note that this statement clearly distorts the real picture and aims to mislead the public.

It is likely that Ms. Minister wants to ascribe the blame to others for her mistake. If the Prosecutor’s Office had taken into account the Public Defender’s recommendation as early as in 2013-2014, our country might have not lost a case in the European Court and neither would it be needed to appeal against the decision in the Grand Chamber.

Removal of any prisoner from a cell during the night hours and putting him under pressure for giving a testimony contradict the law and when a prisoner talks about such facts, regardless of the credibility of his/her words, the investigative agency should investigate the alleged crime; accordingly, Merabishvili’s statement should have been investigated. The Public Defender has been demanding the launch of an investigation since December 17, 2013, and the issue was mentioned in the Public Defender’s parliamentary report 2013 (p. 109) as well.

The Public Defender, as a person who had personally met with Ivane Merabishvili in prison and heard his story, provided the European Court with all available information. We would also like to remind you that the Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into the case only after the European Court of Human Rights said in its ruling of 14 June 2016 that Article 18 (Limitation on useofrestrictionsonrights) of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms was violated. Since no investigation was carried out concerning Merabishvili’s statement, Merabishvili’s British lawyer personally contacted Ucha Nanuashvili. The Public Defender provided him with information about his statements requesting the launch of an investigation and meeting with the prisoner. It should also be noted that the Public Defender is the only neutral person who has met with Merabishvili in prison and has been personally informed by Merabishvili about his removal from the cell.

It is extremely important to establish the truth in this case and each party should help the investigation. It is the duty of the Public Defender to protect human rights of all persons regardless of their political affiliation. This is not the first precedent when politicians make critical statements about the Public Defender. Similar statements discredit the Public Defender’s Office; however, such an approach cannot influence the Public Defender. The Office continues to fulfill its function properly within its mandate.