Georgian coalition files lawsuit in UN on Bidzina Ivanishvili’s citizenship case

Georgia, Tbilisi, June 22 / Trend, N.Kirtskhalia / The political coalition 'Georgia Dream' has filed a lawsuit with the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in connection with the case of citizenship of its leader, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili. According to the coalition's statement, the lawsuit against the Georgian Government was filed on behalf of one of the leaders, who is a member of the Coalition of the Republican Party Tina Khidasheli, lawyer Archil Kbilashvili and American lawyer Matthew Orsman. The lawsuit is associated with deprivation of Bidzina Ivanishvili's citizenship, and refusal to return his citizenship through naturalisation and is based on the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. "Wilful deprivation of citizenship is not only a flagrant violation of Georgian law, but also violation of generally accepted norms of international law," the 'Georgian Dream' Coalition said in its statement. 'Georgia Dream asks the UN Commission on Human Rights to influence the Georgian authorities to restore Bidzina Ivanishvili's citizenship and political rights before the parliamentary elections scheduled for autumn 2012', the statement says. The Justice Ministry reports that the Georgian citizenship assigned to Ivanishvili on July 22, 2004 was suspended after it was found he became a French citizen in 2010. The Tbilisi City Court in December last year partially satisfied the claim of Ivanishvili's lawyers, annulling the president's decision in respect of the businessman's wife Yekaterina Khvedelidze. The decision in respect of Ivanishvili remained in force. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az