[Translation prepared by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

The court forbade the Shukruti workers to picket the entrance to the mine, 13 August 2024

The Sachkheri District Court forbade twenty residents of Shukruti village of Chiaturi, who have been picketing the entrances of Korokhnali and Shukruti mines since March, to express their protest in this form. Judge Ivane Kifiani's ruling must be executed immediately.

The exclusive contractor of "Georgian Manganese" LLC " Magharoeli" LLC has filed a lawsuit against the victims whose houses have been destroyed as a result of ore mining since 2017 and the land has fallen into their yards and gardens and vineyards.

The company accuses Shu Kruteli, who participated in the action, of causing financial damage and demands compensation for damages in the amount of more than 5 and a half million GEL .

On August 12, the participants of the rally received the court ruling, according to which "Magharoeli" LLC appealed to the Sachkheri District Court on August 8.

"Since March 14, 2024, the defendant individuals have picketed/blocked the Korokhnali and Shukruti mines and the entrances to the underground areas belonging to "Georgian Manganese" LLC. The defendants arbitrarily shut down the ventilation system, thereby stopping the supply of clean air to the underground facilities, due to which the Korokhnali and Shukruti mines, as well as the areas there, have stopped functioning...

Along with the lawsuit, the company submitted to the court a statement on the use of a security measure, according to which, "the security measure will serve to minimise the damage caused, as well as prevent the defendants from criminal liability." It will also allow the company to settle the dispute without a substantive hearing through a settlement reached in court."

Judge Ivane Kifiani satisfied the company's request. He forbade the participants of the action to interfere with the mining of manganese for "Magaroeli" LLC...

According to Vladimir Kutateladze, the lawyer of the "Civic Activities Center", the rights defender of the protest participants, they will use the 5-day time limit to appeal the "illegal ruling" in court...