Intermediate Report Research of Pre-election Period - The Human ...

Based on the applications, the charity foundation of Komagi mediated citizens with Georgian
emigrants who could financially assist people.
Citizens, who had lost jobs on political or other grounds, or live below poverty level, applied
to the foundation Komagi which got in touch with rich Georgian emigrants living abroad.
The emigrants transferred certain amounts of money to the accounts of citizens. It is
noteworthy that those people, who had lost jobs, received the sum equal to their monthly
salaries. Funds allocated in June were immediately sequestered and account owners were
summoned to various departments of the MIA for interrogation. They were interrogated as
witnesses under Article 194 of Criminal Code of Georgia that envisages punishment for
money laundering.
Lawyer of the foundation Komagi Shalva Shavgulidze said some of the interrogated citizens
did not have sums transferred on their accounts but their accounts were sequestered. Among
them was a retired person whose pension account was sequestered.
Citizens, who were not allowed to enjoy this assistance, asked their relatives to receive the
transferred funds to their accounts. Although it was expected that bank accounts of the
relatives would also be sequestered, the damaged citizens ran risk.
Impoverished Aleksandre Mshvidobadze was called to interrogation on September 7. Lawyer
of the Human Rights Center Nestan Londaridze defends his rights. Aleksandre
Mshvidobadze is retired person; he has old parents and a sister who is the only family
member who has income. Several months ago, his sister‟s account was sequestered because of
her connection with the Komagi. This time, the brother applied to the charity foundation for
help. The sum transferred on September 7 is still sequestered for the same charge – attempt
of money laundering.
Lawyer Nestan Londaridze said there are no signs of attempted money laundering in this
case. According to her clarification, money laundering means to retransfer the received
money for gaining percents. Consequently, this accusation is completely groundless because
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