Moscow - Rome - Tbilisi

December 10, 1991

Dear Sir,

We, members of the Transnational Radical Party - nonviolent, gandhian, trans-party, anti-authoritarian, environmentalist, european-federalist, anti-militarist, laic party, which haves its members in many European countries, including Georgia, also in African, Asian and American countries - appeal to you at the anniversary day of U.N. Declaration of Human Rights. Exactly this declaration is, on our mind, the basic document which haves to be a base of relations between the state and its citizens - relations, which must ground on non-voilence and respect to individual rights.

We support the desire of Georgian people to live in an independent, free and, first of all, democratic state. We state, that individual rights have inconditional priority in comparison with rights of nations, ethnic or confessional communities, also in comparison with interrests of the state. We also can not close the eyes on the danger of attempts to divide Georgia in order to let the part of its territory under control of orthodoxal empire Communist forces.

At the same time we would like to express our apprehension and our strong protest against violations of human rights, which have place in your country.

We insist, mister President, on deliverance of the opposition activists, who are jailed for their legal political activity - like Mr. Georgy Chanturia, president of the National Democratic Party of Georgia.

We estimate as absolutely illegal and incompatible with the principles of democracy the decision of the Supreme Soviet of Georgia about suspension of the law about political parties. We insist on the resumption of this law.

We insist on the unconditional respect to freedom of press and we strongly protest against state restrictions of this freedom and treates to independent journalists, which have place in today's Georgia.

And finally we appeal to you, mister President, in order to stop sanctioned by the authorities campaign of accusations in the press against many famous Georgian intellectuals - the campaign which associates with Stalin's purges in 30-s and 40-s.

That is exactly why we appeal to you with this letter, that is exactly why we demonstrate at 10 of December, 1991 in front of Georgian mission in Moscow - in the capital of the neighboring country.

We hope, that you will listen to our voice, which is only a part in choir of voices unresting about today's situation of human rights in Georgia. We hope, that democratic, legal, free Georgia will take oughting place in world community in generally, and in democratic, federal Europe of people and regions in particularly.

Nikolaj KHRAMOV, member of the Radical Party, journalist, Moscow; Antonio STANGO, member of the Federal Council of the Radical Party, general secretary of the Italian Helsinki Committee, Rome; Mamuka TSAGARELI, member of the Federal Council of the Radical Party, deputy of National Congress of Georgia, member of the main committee of the National Independence Party of Georgia, Tbilisi; Andrej KUZIN, member of the Radical Party, musician, Moscow; Bishop NIKON (LAMEKIN), member of the Radical Party, Moscow.

79, 10-Dic-91, 15:53, N.Khramov, S.Agora', 1150, *

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

GEORGIA - HUMAN RIGHTS: RADICAL DEMONSTRATION IN MOSCOW AT THE DAY OF HUMAN RIGHTS

(Moscow, 10 December, 1991) - The demonstration against violations of human rights in Georgia organized by the Radical Party took place today, at 43rd anniversary of U.N. Human Rights Declaration, in front of Georgian mission in Moscow.

The demonstartors used the slogans "Free political prisoners in Georgia", "Freedom of press in Georgia needs defence", "Law, democracy, nonviolence for Georgia", "Accusations against intellectuals are shame of regime", "Free Georgy Chanturia" (G.Chanturia is one of the leaders of Georgian opposition, president of the National Democratic Party of Georgia, who was arrested for his legal political activity and must be under trial today in Tbilisi).

After 30 minutes of demonstration its participants delivered into the mission the open letter addressed to Mr. Gamsakhurdia, president of Georgia, containing demands to free more than 100 political prisoners, to respect freedom of press and avoid treats to independent journalists, to stop the accusations in the official mass media against many famous Georgian intellectuals.