08:29, 8 February 2019

Malkhaz Machalikashvili urges Georgian MPs to investigate the murder of his son

Temirlan Machalikashvili's father asked Georgian MPs to comment on the initiative to set up a commission to investigate the special operation in Pankisi, in which his son was killed.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the 19-year-old Temirlan Machalikashvili was mortally wounded in his house during a special operation in the Pankisi Gorge on December 26, 2017. According to law enforcers, Temirlan tried to throw a grenade at them. However, his family claims that the young man was shot dead while in bed.

In July 2018, Georgian media reported, citing the State Security Service (SSS), that Temirlan Machalikashvili had links with Akhmed Chataev and planned to commit suicide bombing in Tbilisi. The family demanded, through the court, to prove that the SSS had violated the presumption of innocence. On February 5, 2019, the court refused to satisfy the claim and supported the law enforcers' version.

The father, Malkhaz Machalikashvili, has explained that he wanted to hear from the parliamentary commission the answer to the main question: whether his son was shot dead asleep in bed. The opposition has declared support for this initiative.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 7, 2019 at 07:07 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Inna Kukudjanova

Source: CK correspondent