Sadly, it is already a fact, Georgia is an Autocracy. That does not mean, however, that it can't change. If President Saakashvili goes too far to keep his power, against the direct will of his people, the world will intervene. So the people, now with a big burden but a necessity to act, must do all in their power, protest, vote and such.
Georgias problems are many. That they have a very free market, good investment opportunities and big participatian internationally, foremost in military operations, but not limited to that, is the only thing that saves them at the moment. They have had great successes, but they are nothing, if the problems are not fixed. Some of the problems, are clear evidence of an Autocracy, and I will examplefy it here.
To have a full good democracy, you need to have free media. Georgia "tricks" the international community, and are able to stay under the radar, because there are plenty of tv-, news- and media corporations. However, though you have critical voices, it is not acceptable media environment in Georgia. Saakashvili can live with the critical voices, because they only are allowed to be expressed on certain stations, and those have few viewers and can serve a purpose for him, he can call them opposition media and claim that they are biased.
Even though these few, opposition medias, express critical opinions, it still comes at a cost. Some that once was free, and became too big, has been siezed, handed to Mishas friends, and people have lost all its investments. Others have regularly raids against their offices. Values are confiscated, charges invented, and punishments served. What is most clear here, is that Georgia are not able to follow international standards, they take full control, not letting sensitive materials be handed properly first, and make demands of greater production equitment then necessary for each inqury, stopping the productions for limited times.
The biggest problem, is the lack of free debate. People know the cost, monetary-, job- and family wise, of standing up. It is the fear underneath, that is the biggest obstacle. But it is also the governments policy, of not letting themselves be questioned, many ministers don't answer questions, and if they do, only to media that is pro-government. Again they skip under international radar, this year, finally, a debate was set up, where most parties were allowed to participate, but all the underlying, and the facilitations from the pro-government media, stopped, what we would call, a free debate.
It is also an Autocracy, because of the mix of powers. I, myself, has first hand witnessed, that a detective, who got a report, with no evidence, and was judged a "non-case", after the initial first two interviews of the two parties, has been ordered by government, to re-open the case, and proceed. It is politicians, "the mishas" that decide, not police. It is not independent.
Mix of powers also clearly comes to terms, when you know that not only the involved person, but streetching far into family ties, can loose jobs, over difference of oppinion. Again, first hand, I have spoken to a taxi driver who could tell the story, of not getting any jobs, after a disagreement internally at a ministry. Black-listed so to speak. And it is no news. It is well known, many has broken with Misha, but when becoming opposition they will not be touched by anyone, some even magically disappears. And people who are friendly, gets money. If you are in Misha's party, they pay you to campaign, to come to listen to speeches, many opportunities to make money, of course they also hand out jobs. But if you are not, well you can drive a taxi, that is about it!
My first example of mix of powers, was politicians with a hand on police matters. But the police is a whole chapter in itself. There is clearly a reason why Misha fired all police when he came to power, and only hired new young loyal ones. Raising the salary, to keep them loyal, but the biggest problem, the number of them. Tbilisi is crowded with police. And it is good to feel protected, but not surveilled. It is clear that it is, again, like back in the soviet union, you are beeing watched. The police shows up at your house, on the smallest hint of any opposition. Question you for hours, I have a close friend, that only because of statements on facebook, had to go through this. Family interogations, long questioning, in your own home, and it is not a question if "CAN we ask a few questions", you better sitt still! I have also read reports of university students, protesting, young female ones (it was two of them), that because they were active with this, they were also beeing hunted in their own homes, and unortodox methods beeing used. Just for the organizing of the protest, for the interview by the police as to who was behind it (probably wanting to know Ivanishvili is paying us to protest), they STRIP SEARCHED the girls, two young university girls, by several policemen, had to be undressed, and touched, before an interview in their own house. And this is in a very conservative country, of course only to humiliate them, and make people afraid of speaking up.
The police is also violent, not only prison guards. That I have a separate blog post on, but to elaborate, new case shown now, two days ago, a protester arrested, beaten, and before getting his administrative punishment by the court, denied his human rights, by tbilisi court judge, to investigate this, and to put forth evidence, and to deal with these matters. It was actually countered, that he "fell and hurt his knee and had red marks around his wrists" as a police report on his "health" upon arrest, to have all papers in order, while the pictures shows much more, and deep bruises. But the court didn't want to see it!
This is yet another example of proof that Georgia is Autocracy. Administrative punishment and the court. Human Rights Watch (and others) have heavily critized the use and rules made for this. HRW had a report january 2012 going in details how this violates human rights and piece by piece taking the rules appart, and showing the abuse, but Misha wants it this way. The problem is, all that is necessary, is a policeman stating he has been insulted, signing it, and you can have 10-90 days in "prison", with no challenge of it, often without family notified, and these "prisons", actually detention centers, are not up to standards, since it technically is not an arrest and you do not have so many rights. Several is reporting that you even don't get food, you have to rely on relatives coming with food, but these are the relatives who are not told you are beeing held, and not knowing where. Lawyers is not even told where you are, it is a mess, that system, the question is, if anyone has control of these things.
It is shown now, with these protests, that Georgia is Autocracy. Protesters has been arrested in at least 9 cities. Students arranging them are arrested, opposition politicians are arrested. There are much beating, incredible many arrests, too many violations to list here. It is without doubt, that Misha tries to stop it, with all means, and scaring is his best tactic. From earlier years we here of people disappearing, yes probably murdered, they go to any extent necessary!
The west wanted to freeze Lukhasjenko of Belarus out from the Euro 2012 final in soccer, but Misha made his fellow "comrade" feel welcome after all!
The problem is that the government controls the media, to different extents yes, but with seizing options, and fines, it is controlled. Government doesn't only control media, but controlled the prisons where the abuse who sparked the demonstration took place, it was government who had this internal justice set in motion. There are more then 50 people in NGO's now demanding travel/visa restrictions for government officials from the Autocratic state of Georgia, as Belarus dictator Lukashenko has gotten. Misha is on good way to copy his good buddy! Putin would be proud of his prodegy, if they were not enemies. Are they really though? They both need each other, for their political games and gaines.
In addition to media and prison, the government controls the police, they are equally brutal as the prison guards, trained equally well, with good excersizes documented, on how to beat down protests. I belive, they now arrest in so many cities, students and opposition politicians, but in small scale not to get international attention, in hope of bigger and violent protests, so they can have a state of emergency, and sit past their terms.
Of course with the new constitution, giving the power from the President to the Prime Minister, were Misha now IS eligeble, and his statement that they can't leave their developement over in others hands before they are finished, he has already set the road to do a "Putin", but many says he would rather keep sitting in the Presidency on the state of emergency, and some even speculates that he himself, made sure the videos was released, so people would protest violent, so he already then could impose it. The danger is, with the troops now lining up around Ossetia, is if he plans to start a new war, just to keep the power, he has left many options open for himself, to become the next dictator in line, after Lukashenko, Putin, Janukovich and now, himself.
Yes, Georgia is Autocracy, biggest scare is the cooperation over brancehes imprisoning 24.000 prisoners, third most in precentage in the world, to keep the opposition away and to scare people from speaking up. But with media, prison, police, courts, jobs, money and the overstepping of branches, all lead by Misha himself, with no fear of using any methods, he HAS full controll. Trying to strengthen the control by using dirty tricks trying to take Ivanishvilli's passport for example and also now the newest ruling, how they are implementing newer strickter rules on the election monitoring. Everything is set for him to steal the election. CEC now, as of the latest ruling, only allows 10 minuts free filming in voting stations. And we all know that the liberation of media freedom laws for the election, is only till the election 1st of October, but the freedom does not extend to the questioning after, if the election was free and fair.
What is the only hope, is the Georgian people. That they see all this, and that they don't quit the protests, no matter how much it costs and how dangerous it is. Yes, it is, and we cry with you Georgia, I am truly deeply sorry for the cost of this, but it is necessary! Secondly, votes must be cast, for change. Some say, there is no change on the ticket, most parties still will vote in parliament for Misha and the dream movement is only old hacks rounded up again, so may be it, new strong youth movements can't get through without free debate and media. Still, I uphold, CAST A VOTE FOR CHANGE. If it is correct, none of them represent a change, then vote for change again next time. If those considering going in, at the cost it represents today, sees that you will overthrow ANY government, till a just one is elected, the good forces will soon run! Good luck Georgia! We are with you, the people of Georgia, and it is sad days, but with the hopes of a great future in the massive and continued protests!
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