Prosecutor’s Office to Investigate Death of First President of Georgia
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Monday, December 31
Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office will investigate the death of first Georgian President Zviad Gamsakhurdia in 1993 and will try to establish whether Gamsakhurdia committed suicide or he was killed.
The decision came on the 13th day of the hunger strike of Gamsakhurdia’s sons, who were demanding the continuation of the investigation as the limitation period of the case expires today.
A meeting between Tsotne Gamsakhurdia and Chief Prosecutor Shalva Tadumadze on 26 December revealed that the Chief Prosecutor’s Office will investigate the case with the involvement of local and foreign experts.
“The Chief Prosecutor shared my views,” Gamsakhurdia said.
Following the decision, the Parliament of Georgia made a decision to increase the limitation period for especially grave crimes from 25 to 30 years.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili welcomed the decision regarding the continuation of the investigation.
“I welcome the decision of the parliament as well as the readiness of Chief Prosecutor to lead the investigation into the unidentified circumstances of Georgia’s first president’s death.
“I hope as a result of the carried out activities the circumstances of Georgia’s first president’s death will become clear and the historic justice will be restored, which is the matter of dignity for our country,” the president’s statement reads.
Gamsakhurdia died in circumstances that are still unclear. It is known that he died in the village of Khibula in the Samegrelo region of western Georgia and later was re-buried in the village of Jikhashkari, of the same region.
Based on reports his body was found with a single bullet wound to the head.
Gamsakhurdia was thrown down in a coup in 1992.
