Information on the Mkhedrioni ( "Horsemen") organization further to that contained in Responses to Information Requests GGA21100.E of 18 July 1995 and GGA16965.E of 28 March 1994 is found in standard reference sources such as Country Reports 1995, Amnesty International Report 1996, and Human Rights Watch World Report 1996, all of which are available in your Regional Documentation Centre.

Response to Information Request GGA16965.E of 28 March 1994 contains an RFE/RL report which describes the Mkhedrioni as a "military/paramilitary" organization, as well as an AFP report alleging that the Mkhedrioni in 1994 had been integrated into the regular Georgian army. The United States Department of State refers to the Mkhedrioni as "former governmental paramilitary forces," also known as the "Rescue Corps" (Country Reports 1995 1996, 862), whereas another source describes them as "an informal paramilitary organization" (OMRI Daily Digest 22 Aug. 1996). Human Rights Watch World Report 1996 claims that the Georgian government had tolerated the Mkhedrioni for years as an "unspoken arm of law enforcement" (HRW 1996, 217). The Associated Press reports that during Georgia's 1992-93 war with Abkhazia, the Mkhedrioni "was almost the only army Georgia had" (15 Nov. 1996). Further information on the Mkhedrioni's official/non-official status in contained is the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights 1995 Critique and in the articles attached to this Response.

In addition, many sources allege that the Mkhedrioni is involved in criminal activities. A 4 September 1995 ITAR-TASS report details the Mkhedrioni's tactics of intimidation, physical abuse of citizens, embezzlement and other illegal actions. According to ITAR-TASS, Mkhedrioni founder Dzhaba Ioseliani, the deputy chief of Georgia state security service from 1993-95, as well as the head of the "Corps of Georgia's Rescuers" were all accomplices, and have been charged with "high treason, organizing terrorist acts, murders and other grave crimes" (13 May 1996; OMRI Daily Digest 6 Nov. 1995).

The Mkhedrioni reportedly committed serious human rights violations during 1995 and were disbanded in October of the same year, following accusations regarding their participation in an assassination attempt on President Eduard Shevardnadze (Country Reports 1995 1996, 862-63; AI 1996, 156). Mkhedrioni founder Dzaba Ioseliania, also a former deputy in the Georgian parliament, was arrested in November 1995 (ITAR-TASS 13 May 1996; OMRI Daily Digest 6 Nov. 1995).

For further information on the Mkhedrioni, please consult the attached documents.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Amnesty International (AI). 1996. Amnesty International Report 1996. New York: Amnesty International USA.

The Associated Press (AP). 15 November 1995. "Georgia Warlord Arrested." (NEXIS)

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1995. 1996. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 1996. Human Rights Watch World Report 1996. New York: Human Rights Watch.

Open Media Research Institute (OMRI) Daily Digest [Prague]. 22 August 1996. Liz Fuller. "Mkhedrioni Activist Extradited to Georgia." (INTERNET: OMRI Daily Digest full-text search. http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/...n/friends/omri/select-rec.pl)

_____. 6 November 1995. Lowell Bezanis. "Warrant for Ioseliani's Arrest." (INTERNET: OMRI Daily Digest full-text search. http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/...n/friends/omri/select-rec.pl)

The Russian Information Agency (ITAR-TASS). 13 May 1996. Thengiz Pachkoria. "Preliminary Investigation Ends in Georgian Terrorists' Case." (NEXIS)

_____. 4 September 1995. Tengiz Pachkoria. "Georgian Police Arrest Dozen Armed Opposition Members." (NEXIS)

Attachments

Agence France Presse (AFP). 11 September 1995. "Mkhedrioni to Boycott Georgian Elections." (NEXIS)

The Associated Press (AP). 15 November 1995. "Georgia Warlord Arrested." (NEXIS)

The Guardian [London]. 16 November 1995. Andrew Harding. "Georgian Police Seize 'Godfather'." (NEXIS)

Open Media Research Institute (OMRI) Daily Digest [Prague]. 22 August 1996. Liz Fuller. "Mkhedrioni Activist Extradited to Georgia." (INTERNET: OMRI Daily Digest full-text search. http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/...n/friends/omri/select-rec.pl)

_____. 13 August 1996. Lowell Bezanis. "Mkhedrioni Leader Sentenced." (INTERNET: OMRI Daily Digest full-text search. http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/...n/friends/omri/select-rec.pl)

_____. 16 November 1995. Lowell Bezanis. "Iosseliani Arrested." (INTERNET: OMRI Daily Digest full-text search. http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/...n/friends/omri/select-rec.pl)

_____. 31 October 1995. Liz Fuller. "Dzhaba Ioseliani Interview." (INTERNET: OMRI Daily Digest full-text search. http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/...n/friends/omri/select-rec.pl)

_____. 12 September 1995. Peter Rutland. "Election Preparations in Georgia." (INTERNET: OMRI Daily Digest full-text search. http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/...n/friends/omri/select-rec.pl)

_____. 5 September 1995. Peter Rutland. "Shevardnadze Tightens Grip After Assassination Attempt." (INTERNET: OMRI Daily Digest full-text search. http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/...n/friends/omri/select-rec.pl)

_____. 24 May 1995. Liz Fuller. "Deadline for Disarming Mkhedrioni Extended." (INTERNET: OMRI Daily Digest full-text search. http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/...n/friends/omri/select-rec.pl)

_____. 6 March 1995. Liz Fuller. "Mkhedrioni Strikes Again." (INTERNET: OMRI Daily Digest full-text search. http://solar.rtd.utk.edu:81/...n/friends/omri/select-rec.pl)

Reuters. 26 May 1996. BC Cycle. Lawrence Sheets. "Georgia Celebrates Five Years of Independence." (NEXIS)

The Russian Information Agency (ITAR-TASS). 21 August 1996. Tengiz Pachkoria. "Russia Extradites Mkhedrioni Activist to Georgia." (NEXIS)

_____. 13 May 1996. Tengiz Pachkoria. "Preliminary Investigation Ends in Georgian Terrorists' Case." (NEXIS)

_____. 4 September 1995. Tengiz Pachkoria. "Georgian Police Arrest Dozen Armed Opposition Members." (NEXIS)