VZCZCXRO5964
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSI #1273 2070730
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 250730Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9806
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS TBILISI 001273 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CARC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM GG
SUBJECT: EKA BESELIA CLAIMS SON'S ARREST IS POLITICALLY 
MOTIVATED 
 
REF: TBILISI 925 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Eka Beselia, member of the Joint 
Opposition, activist and well-known defense lawyer, alleged 
her son's recent arrest is politically motivated and is the 
latest step by the GOG to repress members of the opposition. 
Beselia's son, Rati Milorava (age 15 or 16) is facing two to 
five years imprisonment for the crime of "hooliganism," a 
crime in which Beselia says her son was only a witness. 
Poloffs met with Beselia at her request and subsequently 
discussed the case with the Prosecutor General's Office 
numerous times.  We are unable at this point to discern the 
truth because the story varies between each side.   No court 
date has been set and Milorava is currently out of jail after 
posting bail of 2000 GEL (about 1,408 USD).  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) In a June 28 meeting, Beselia told Poloff that her 
15-year old son, Rati Milorava, was issued a summons to 
appear before the Prosecutor's Office on June 30 as a witness 
to an incident which occurred four months ago.  Beselia said 
that an insider at the Prosecutor's office, whom she refused 
to identify, confided to her that her son would be arrested 
for "hooliganism" when he appeared and his arrest was 
retribution for her political activism.  Kakha Kukava, of the 
Joint Opposition also attended, and said that he had 
contacted the OSCE and NDI to ask for their help.  Kukava 
asserted that Milorava's arrest was the latest step of the 
GOG to repress members of the opposition for their activism, 
and that it was spreading now to affect their families.  On 
July 1 Milorava was arrested, and on July 2 the Tbilisi City 
court heard the case.  The Prosecutor General's Office gave 
Post a copy of the police report and the series of events are 
inconsistent with Beselia's and Kukava's story. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Poloffs met with Beselia on 16 July and were 
presented with evidence suggesting the Prosecutor's Office 
altered Milorava's participation in the events only after 
Beselia threatened to revoke her participation in the 21 May 
parliamentary election.  According to Beselia, Milorava was 
considered a witness in an altercation between a friend and a 
security guard after another friend attempted to steal candy, 
but the charges were allegedly trumped up to include Milorava 
in "hooliganism" (which carries a maximum penalty of 2-5 
years in prison) immediately preceding the parliamentary 
elections as a tool to stop Beselia's participation.  Beselia 
acknowledged her son was present during the incident but told 
Poloffs that she will not halt her political activism because 
her son is innocent.  She said she will fight to remove these 
charges.  In addition, Beselia claims she has filed for her 
son's political asylum with the French Embassy. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Poloffs subsequently discussed Beselia's accusations 
several times with the Prosecutor General's Office, most 
recently on July 22, but were unable to determine precisely 
why Milorava's charges were altered.  According to the 
Prosecutor General's Office, the  MOIA is still investigating 
the case, and a trial date is still pending. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comments: The truth likely lies somewhere between 
the two sides' stories.  It appears that Milorava was present 
and involved in an altercation.  However, the Prosecutor's 
Office has not charged the youth who instigated the 
confrontation by stealing candy and says it has no plans to 
do so due to the resources required to prosecute the theft of 
such an insignificant sum (1 USD).  End Comment. 
 
TEFFT