Giorgi Matiashvili: Baramidze made a treasonous statement commissioned by outside parties

Interrogations are continuing at the Prosecutor’s Office as part of an investigation launched under articles covering high treason and sabotage. Today, Giorgi Matiashvili will be questioned at the Prosecutor General’s Office.

As Matiashvili told journalists before his questioning, Baramidze made a treasonous statement commissioned by outside parties.

“I was present in Sokhumi during active hostilities on behalf of the Prosecutor’s Office to investigate war crimes. We were in Sokhumi during the battles, investigating various crimes committed by Russian troops during their military operations. Specifically, in July or August 1992, if I am not mistaken, Russian military aircraft dropped 500-kilogram bombs on Chamba Street. The bombs landed in a residential neighbourhood, causing massive casualties. There were also daily bombardments with so-called Grad rockets, and we participated in these investigative actions. I have heard from many combatants that they themselves treated wounded Abkhazians and North Caucasians, and after treatment, handed them back, let alone executing anyone.

There are many doctors from Sokhumi in Tbilisi today, and they confirm that they treated them and returned those who recovered to the other side. What do they mean by ‘executions’?! Baramidze said something appalling; even a foreigner would not make such claims. We have heard many things, but to see something like this in the 21st century; I do not know what drives them or who is issuing these directives. How such a thought could even enter a person’s head leaves me astonished. They cite a statement from the de facto Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia as ‘evidence’.

Under Georgian Dream, with the help of international organisations, it was achieved with great effort to have documents explicitly state that a criminal invasion by Russia indeed took place. Now Baramidze declares: ‘No, the Russians acted more within legal bounds, behaved more delicately, and we were the ones who committed crimes.’ Not only veterans and the broader public, but any right-minded citizen is flabbergasted. To this day, locals maintain friendships with Abkhazians, and there are mixed families in Tbilisi. A friend of mine has an Abkhazian wife. Where has anyone ever heard of such a thing?! In the first days of a war, as far as I am aware, when you are in a defensive position, you cannot take prisoners of war. Those on the offensive might take captives, but what prisoners could we have taken, or whom could we have executed?! Everyone understood very well what Baramidze meant and why he said it. Every right-minded person understood his intent and what he uttered,” declared Giorgi Matiashvili.

For context, Gia Baramidze, a member of the United National Movement, stated: “During the war in Abkhazia, Georgian military personnel executed prisoners of war, which is why the Abkhaz side refused to hand over captives.” Following a referral by the State Service of Veterans Affairs regarding Baramidze’s statement, the General Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia opened an investigation on August 7 into high treason and sabotage.