The Georgian authorities spare no efforts to convince Interpol to issue so called ‘red notice’ and put Abkhaz border guard serviceman, suspected of killing Giga Otkhozoria, a Georgian citizen, on its wanted list, the Georgian Interior and Justice Ministers said on November 24.

Giga Otkhozoria was shot dead on the Georgian-controlled territory at the Khurcha-Nabakevi crossing point between the breakaway Abkhazia and rest of Georgia on May 19. CCTV footage from the scene shows the moment Otkhozoria, a native of the Gali district who lived in the town of Zugdidi, was shot. Military court in breakaway Abkhazia ordered on June 23 house arrest for Rashid Kanji-Ogli pending trial on charges of premeditated murder of the Georgian citizen. The Georgian Prosecutor’s Office has also charged him with murder. 

Interior Minister Giorgi Mgebrishvili said that the work is underway with Interpol to put Rashid Kanji-Ogli on its wanted list. “Let’s wait for the results,” he said.

“The process has been launched and in this particular case, we hope for more support from Interpol,” Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani said.

“This tragedy is one of the priority issues for the Georgian state and our efforts are aimed to achieve punishment for the perpetrator; it is essential to prevent similar cases in future,” State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, Ketevan Tsikhelashvili said adding that this issue is regularly raised during Gali IPRM meetings. 

These remarks were made at the committee hearings into nominated cabinet on November 24 after UNM lawmaker Giga Bokeria asked them about the measures implemented in connection with Otkhozoria’s murder and slammed the Interior Minister for not mentioning even a word about “increasing crime rate, terrorism, hate-motivated crimes, kidnapping of our citizens and Otkhozoria’s terrible murder.”

“The crime rate has not increased in Georgia. These oral statements look like a gossip,” Mgebrishvili responded.