Information about the chief of criminal police investigations in Rustavi in August 2003 was limited among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. No mention of the individual named in the Information Request as the possible chief of criminal police investigations in Rustavi in August 2003 could be found.

Amnesty International indicated in a June 2002 urgent action that the name of the head of police in Rustavi was not known (18 June 2002).

A representative of the Tbilisi-based Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre provided the following information in 29 October 2004 correspondence: Alexander Bukia is still the chief of criminal police investigations in Rustavi (he was also the chief in August 2003). The chief of criminal police investigations reports to the Interior Minister.

However, a representative of the Liberty Institute in Tbilisi stated that the chief of criminal police of Rustavi in August 2003 was David Mchedlishvili (2 Nov. 2004). He also explained that in the Ministry of Interior a deputy minister is responsible for the "criminal police" and reports directly to the minister.

The representative from the Liberty Institute mentioned that Alexander Bukia was not the chief of criminal police investigations in Rustavi but that he was a chief of regional criminal police in Kvemo Kartli (3 Nov. 2004), the region in which the town of Rustavi is located.

The Research Directorate could not find any additional or corroborating information among the sources consulted.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Amnesty International. 18 June 2002. (AI Index: EUR56/003/2002) "Amnesty International Georgia: Appeal Cases." http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/ENGEUR560032002 [Accessed 20 Oct. 2004]

Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre, Tbilisi. 29 October 2004. Correspondence from a representative.

Liberty Institute, Tbilisi. 3 November 2004. Correspondence from a representative.

_____. 2 November 2004. Correspondence from a representative.

Internet sites, including: BBC News, Central Asian and Southern Caucasian Freedom of Expression Network, Civil Georgia Online, Department of Human Rights of Intellectual and Humanitarian Security Issues of Georgia, East Europe Times, The Georgian Times, Honorary Consulate of Georgia in Canada, HumanRights.ge, Human Rights Online Georgia, Human Rights Watch, International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, Internet.ge, Liberty.ge, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Ministry of Home Affairs of Georgia, Online.ge, Parliament.ge, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Rustavi2.com, US Department of State, US Embassy in Georgia.