Several years ago in Chechnya, a Grozny court sentenced Georgian citizen Beslan Gaurgashvili to three years in prison. As he recalls, Russia and Chechnya are closed to him. His life is in danger if he returns there.
When I returned to Georgia, my friends who had beaten me in the Pankisi gorge told me that the construction of a hydroelectric power plant was starting in the gorge. I do not know what these people want to empty the valley? Desertification? As I was explained soon our river will turn into pipes and that will be the end of everything. What can a man do at this time? Perhaps he should protest and protect his land from water. So it happened in Pankisi.
I was at the rally in Pankisi Gorge in April like the others and was protesting against the construction of the HPP. It is known to the public that this protest eventually ended in a clash with the police.
I resisted the police from arresting our fellow villagers who simply did not want to build a power plant, and Khmamarla might have expressed this in a slightly more aggressive way. Young people you know are a little more aggressive. Finally, the Minister of Internal Affairs arrived and the situation stabilized at a glance. But a few days later our interrogations began.
In connection with the HPP protest?
Even in connection with the Hess protest and it was not just interrogations, it was already putting pressure on me and my fellow villagers as well.
In particular, what are you talking about?
Each of my summonses and interrogations started with my 2016-2018 imprisonment in a Chechen prison. Then why was I protesting already? What did I ask for? Did I feel guilty and at the end I was still asked what connections I had with Chechnya? During one of the last calls, they asked me about the HPP. Do you know what the investigator is asking me? I am asked, are you a Chechen agent?
What do you associate with such an attitude towards you?
I have information that they want to embarrass me on something illegal and on non-existent charges. So in the near future I will apply to the Public Defender or not and I will support my family and leave the country to leave my citizenship. Is there no place on earth where I can live in peace with my family and not call the police 10 times a month? Should I still be guilty… because I was detained in Chechnya and sentenced illegally now as they could not break me there should they bring me to the end? I do not know what path I will take, I will get up and leave Georgia, but why?
Talked to mariam megrelishvili
