On November 22, 2012, Merab Ratishvili released a statement addressed to the Human Rights Committee and members of the working group. He is requesting his name be removed from the list of political prisoners and his case be reassessed separately. Further, Ratishvili has also applied the Human Rights Center, Article 42 of the Constitution and Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association with a request to raise his case separately before the Human Rights Committee for its consideration. 

 

Merab Ratishvili has been recognized as a political prisoner and is on the list of political prisoners, as his arrest is related to political activities and his support of the opposition. His case was included in the report of the U.S. State Department’s Human Rights Report two times and several times in the public defender’s report. Thomas Hammerberg, EU Commissioner for Human Rights personally met with his during his official visit to Georgia. As a result, his case was included in June 2011 report. Nevertheless, he remains in imprisonment and is serving time at the penitentiary facility. 

 

Article 42 of the Constitution is defending rights of Merab Ratishvili, president of the Golf Association, before the ECHR. The application was submitted as early as 2009. Article 42 of the Constitution believes that Ratishvili was the victim of inhumane treatment and the Government of Georgia violated his right to fair trial and freedom of expression. 

 

GYLA and the Human Rights Center studied Merab Ratishvili’s case, which was subsequently reflected in findings about political prisoners. 

 

Article 42 of the Constitution, GYLA and the Human Rights Center respond to Merab Ratishvili’s statement and would like to submit once more to the parliament their findings about granting the status of a political prisoner to Merab Ratishvili.