Football player Demetradze has received six years for “connections” …

The next scandal has flared up in Georgia and one of the most popular sportsmen of the country has appeared in its center – football player Giorgi Demetradze. Firstly he had been detained on suspicion in participation in the illegal tote and also on charge in contacts with “kingpin”. The sentence was six years of imprisonment and after it - the complaint in the European Court of Human Rights …

But, firstly, why this story has involved such great attention and not only in Georgia, but also in Russia, Israel, Ukraine. The forward Giorgi Demetradze began the football career in Tbilisi “Dynamo”. Then he has spent one season in Holland and has appeared already in “Alanya” which was one of the strongest clubs of Russia. Demetradze also became the best goal-scorer of the national championship in 1999 in its structure.

Further he supported Kiev “Dynamo” and became the champion of Ukraine, then played in Spain, again in Ukraine, in Azerbaijan, Israel. He still twice came back to the Russian championship: played for Moscow “Lokomotiv” and Vladikavkaz “Alanya”. As the sports press marked, Giorgi Demetradze possesses the unique achievement: “Demetradze has hat track to his credit: he became the best goal-scorer of three national championships - Georgia (26 goals in 1996), Russia (21 balls in 1999) and Ukraine (18 goals in a season-03/04)”.

But that has occurred further with the triple champion of Georgia, has shaken many people. He was accused of “splitting-out” of money at the clients who have lost in a football tote. And the city court of Tbilisi has refused to release Demetradze on the security and has sent him in a pre-trial detention center.

Two more persons have been detained together with Demetradze. It seems they have organized the tote together during the Football World Championship and have won 140 thousand dollars from a certain citizen. However, it was not possible to receive money … In order to solve a problem, they have addressed to “kingpin”, living on Ukraine. Well, and that one has already “solved a problem”. Under other version, just Demetradze was engaged in "splitting-out" of the rather big sum.

The known football player could get from three till eight years of imprisonment on charge in connections with “the thieves' world”. He has been sentenced to six years of prison according to court decision. And those two citizens, who were mentioned above, have been sentenced to eight years and two years of imprisonment accordingly. Demetradze and his acquaintances have declared about their innocence. The lawyer of the football player has declared the intention to appeal against the court decision.

Many known people in Georgia have expressed the support to Giorgi Demetradze till the court. Perhaps, the most popular Georgian football player, who has protected the colors of well-known Italian “Milan” for many years, Kakha Kaladze has spent a special briefing. He has officially declared that he is ready to stand bail for Demetradze and he is ready to expose the property as pledge, if it is required. Kakha Kaladze has addressed to the president of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili and Catholicos Ilia II with the request to show good will and to support the football player, who has protected the colors of the Georgian team on the football fields for many years.

Ukraine has decided to intercede for the football player too. The general director of club “Metallurg” (Donetsk) Evgeny Gayduk has addressed with the open letter to Mikhail Saakashvili. Evgeny Gayduk has given the high appreciation to Giorgi Demetradze, named him both the outstanding football player, and the sympathetic person. “Metallurg” also has declared the readiness “to provide any guarantees, including financial”.

Later the general director of club has explained in one of interview: “It would be wrong to remain indifferent to destiny of the player who has much made for our command and became the best goal-scorer of the championship in its structure. We don't know all details of that have occurred there, but perfectly understand that the vital circumstances of each person can develop in the most unpredictable image. Therefore we have written this letter”.

Why the letter was written namely to Saakashvilis? The answer is the following: “All the same Saakashvili is the highest authority, the guarantor of the constitution. I think, we have broken nothing by this. And the embassy of Georgia had no questions concerning the addressee through which the letter had been sent. What can be the reaction to our reference and what will be our further actions? Let's not make plans, but will wait for the answer. If it will be in general, otherwise they can simply ignore us”. He must have the second sight!


And here is the news: “Football player Giorgi Demetradze who is serving the time in Georgia on charge in connections with “the thieves' world”, has directed the complaint to the European Court of Human Rights”. The lawyer of the condemned sportsman Marina Pkhaladze has informed the agency about it. She has explained the complaint essence: “The matter concerns the infringements of third (Prohibition of tortures), sixth (the right to fair proceeding) and eighth (the right to respect private and home life) articles of the European convention of protection of human rights”.

Pkhaladze has noticed that inhuman treatment with the condemned has been fixed in establishment No.6 on execution of punishments of Rustavi city where he was not allowed to use a credit card and he had no possibility to buy the hygiene means and foodstuff in shop in the establishment territory.

The lawyer has told and about the main thing: she is assured that the decisions of the courts of all instances were “illegal” in Georgia concerning this case:

“Despite of lacking the crime signs, he has been condemned for “membership in the thieves' world” and sentenced to imprisonment …

We have the proofs of infringement of eighth article of the European convention. Actually Demetradze has been detained that he was the friend of Vato Kipiani and David Gagnidze who appear in case. According to the eighth article of the European convention, all have the right to private life, to choose a circle of friends …

The only thing that has been presented on legal process is the characteristic from police in which it is told that Demetradze is the friend of Kipiani and Gagnidze and he is “criminal”.

The lawyer is convinced that there are no real proofs in the case of Demetradze. Georgia has the struggle with “kingpins”. It can be welcomed only, but it turns out, that any person can be sent in prison even for casual contact with the representative of so-called “the thieves' world”. And it is thus absolutely not important, whether he committed any concrete crimes. Here is such specific democracy. After all Giorgi Demetradze who was and remains the idol for many young men, have been accused of certain connections with “the thieves' world” and it has appeared enough to deprive him of freedom for six years.

Five years ago Giorgi Demetradze has told in one of interview to the Russian press that loves “field” life. Also he loves it that he is “always the director for himself”. One of the most known sportsmen of Georgia was mistaken very strongly – there is the director in the country and this director is assured that there shouldn’t be other directors except Mikhail Saakashvili. Because Saakashvili and democracy are the synonyms in his play and simultaneously the pledge of future prosperity which turned back by the war and national humiliation. And the story of Giorgi Demetradze is only one example from many.