UNM Requests Creation of Parliamentary Commission into Machalikashvili Case

Opposition party United National Movement (UNM) has submitted a request to the parliament, asking for the creation of a fact-finding temporary commission into the Temirlan Machalikashvili case.

The UNM claims Temirlan Machalikashvili’s family has doubts and do not trust the investigation carried into the case.

Temirlan Machalikashvili was wounded in village Duisi in his own bed on December 26, 2018. On January 10 he died in the hospital.

One year after 19-year-old Temirlan Machalikashvili died from a head-wound during a special operation in the Pankisi Gorge, his family demands the creation of a temporary fact-finding commission, which will find out what exactly happened during the operation and why the young man was shot.

Georgian law-enforcers claim that Machalikashvili was shot when he tried to detonate a grenade. However, the family and relatives say that he was sleeping when law-enforcers shot him without warning.

“The incident revealed illegal activities of the state body and officials, which resulted in the death of Temirlan Machalakashvili. It is especially important by whom the order was issued and on which basis. In particular, there is the main question - whether there was a reasonable suspicion that resulted in the liquidation of a person,” the statement of the UNM reads.

Asking for the “fair and effective” investigation, father of the deceased man, Malkhaz Machalikashvili has been holding protest rallies since May 2018.

On December 26, one year after the incident, Machalikashvili and his supporters held two protest-rallies in the capital - one at the so-called Moduli building and the second at the parliament building.

By Thea Morrison