**Georgia’s Investigative Commission Hears from Former Minister Gakharia**
Tensions ran high at a recent session of Georgia’s parliamentary temporary investigative commission, as Chairman Giorgi Gakharia, the former Minister of Internal Affairs, faced questioning over the so-called Chorchana case. The commission is investigating allegations of human rights abuses and political persecution.
**A Heated Exchange**
During his testimony, Gakharia was repeatedly interrupted by members of the commission, including Chairwoman Tea Tsulukiani. This led to a heated exchange between the two, with Tsulukiani at one point telling Gakharia that he had an “obligation” to answer her questions. Gakharia pushed back, saying that he didn’t have an obligation to sit and be questioned.
**Gakharia’s Defense**
In his defense, Gakharia said that Georgia did not have effective control over the territory in question at the time of the alleged human rights abuses. He noted that this was confirmed by reports from the State Security Service and the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM). Gakharia argued that these factors contributed to the risks faced by people who entered the area, including detention and release.
**Commission Members Intervene**
Members of the commission interrupted Gakharia several times to ask questions, leading to a series of exchanges between him and Tsulukiani. At one point, Gakharia even suggested that he might flee the country if allowed to finish speaking. This led Tsulukiani to remark that he would likely receive guarantees from abroad and return.
**A Testy Relationship**
The exchange between Gakharia and Tsulukiani highlighted a testy relationship between the two. While Gakharia was trying to make his points, Tsulukiani seemed determined to interrupt him, leading to a series of exchanges that bordered on the confrontational.
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