12 September 2024

All individuals participating in the Chiatura protest who were employed by Georgian Manganese or its subsidiary and contracted companies were dismissed from their jobs. According to the lawyer, they were fired due to their differing opinions and expressions, which constitutes discrimination. Georgian Manganese has not only retaliated by dismissing the protest participants but is also seeking 5.5 million GEL in compensation from the affected individuals. Furthermore, following the initial demand, the company - operated by a state-appointed administrator - is requiring the demolition of homes, clearing of properties, and their transfer for use for four years.

Giorgi Bitsadze worked for over two years as a loader operator at JM-Teknikaservisi, a contractor of Georgian Manganese LLC. In March 2024, when part of the population of Shukruti village began protesting near the Korokhnali mine, he joined the protest from the outset, participating during his free time.

On September 5, Giorgi was dismissed from his job. The company accused him of missing work. In August, Bitsadze had requested 15 days of unpaid leave, a right granted under the Labor Code. However, his request was denied. He was informed that the decision had been made by the administrative director of Georgian Manganese LLC, Teimuraz Khonelia. Starting September 1, Giorgi, along with several other Shukruti protest participants, sewed his mouth shut and began a hunger strike, ceasing to report for work. The protestors have one demand: that Georgian Manganese provide them with fair compensation for the destruction of their homes caused by ore extraction.

Immediately after missing work, on September 2, Bitsadze was severely reprimanded, with the order being handed over on September 7. On September 11, he received a second order stating that his employment had been terminated as of September 5...

The protest participants were not only punished by dismissal. On the instructions of Georgian Manganese, Magharoeli LLC filed complaints against the protest participants with the police, accusing them of disrupting mine operations. The Sachkhere Prosecutor's Office charged three of the protest participants, with the punishment carrying a sentence of up to 3 years of imprisonment. The court granted bail to the defendants.

Following an appeal by Magharoeli, the court also prohibited the residents of Shukruti from protesting near the mines...

Magharoeli LLC has filed two lawsuits in court against the rally participants. The company is demanding 5.5 million GEL in compensation and the immediate transfer of their houses and yards, in a vacated condition, for a period of four years, following the first request. This means that the defendants must demolish their homes, clear the area, and hand it over to the company for ore extraction or removal.