This written declaration does not reflect the position of the Assembly; only of those members that have signed it. It will not be considered further by the Assembly.
We express our concern about reported cases of pressure on
political opponents in Georgia, including a former member of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, who did not stand
for the October 2016 elections.
Our particular concern is about Ms Chiora Taktakishvili, one
of the leaders of the United Movement Party and former Assembly
member. Her husband Ilia Nikolaishvili was interrogated by the State
Security Service on a controversial conspiracy case, days before
elections. The accusations of alleged conspiracy are now apparently
used to place surveillance, threaten and intimidate opposition politicians
and activists, among them our former colleague.
We fear that Ms Taktakishvili may be punished for her positions
taken as a member of the Assembly on the issues of media freedom,
politicised justice and independence of the judiciary.
We will closely follow the situation of Ms Taktakishvili and
her husband and call on Georgian authorities to refrain from unjustified
pressure on opposition politicians and activists.
