TBILISI, DFWatch–The fallout from a bombing of a rights activist in Georgia last week continued Sunday with several prosecutors asking to be suspended and police officers being fired.
On Friday, the interior minister resigned. This was followed by the resignation of the deputy head of the criminal police.
Now, several prosecutors who were involved in the investigation of the police shooting that took the life of Zurab Vazagashvili in 2006 have asked to be suspended until the investigation is completed.
“Once questions have emerged in society, some of the employees who were involved in this criminal case to some extent addressed the Chief Prosecutor with personal statements and requested removal from their offices till the completion of the investigation,” the statement read.
It says that these prosecutors didn’t have connection with the new investigation as a special investigative group is working on the case of the murder of Zurab Vazagashvili.
Acting Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri said on Saturday that several policemen who were also connected to the Zurab Vazagashvili case have been fired, but he didn’t specify how many. He said about 50 or even 100 people participated in the special operation and all of them can’t be fired.
“It wasn’t everyone’s fault. The Prosecutor’s Office is working and the guilty will be punished,” he said.
January 20, the father of Zurab Vazagashvili was blown up by a mine as he was visiting the grave of his son in the village Karaphila, about 50km from the capital.
An investigation was launched about premeditated murder under aggravating circumstances.
Zurab Vazagashvili was killed on May 2, 2006 in Tbilisi. He was accused of armed robbery together with Alexandre Khubulov, but many doubt the official version.
Vazagashvili’s father Yuri had been requesting to reopen the investigation and punish those who were guilty of his son’s murder.
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