Tariel Kakabadze: Guram Dadianidze’s father and aunt had not been in contact with me for months, but today it was completely unexpected to see them at the rally. It would be good if everyone, instead of obstructing, started cooperating

Today it was completely unexpected to see [Guram Dadianidze’s father and aunt]; they joined the rally. However, I had no communication or conversation with them. I declare my readiness to meet both them and other persons, – this is how lawyer Tariel Kakabadze responded to the appearance of the father and aunt of the missing Guram Dadianidze at the ongoing rally near the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

As Kakabadze told Interpressnews, their main demand is that a swift and effective investigation be conducted into the case.

“As you know, our motion regarding the transfer of the case to Tbilisi and the involvement of new investigators was granted. We had a meeting and they truly promise that answers will be given to the main questions and that the corresponding investigative actions will be carried out on the case, as a result of which the desired outcome will be achieved and Mrs. Sopho will learn under what circumstances her son disappeared. We are waiting for the fulfillment of this promise; we are waiting for all the investigative actions that we had been requesting and that had not been carried out to be conducted. We are waiting for the Ministry of Internal Affairs this time at least to rise to the occasion.

For 12 years Mrs. Sopho was deceived; she was given incorrect information; she was told that an investigation into the case was underway, when in reality this was a typical formality and the investigation was not actually progressing. Moreover, it started with a 3-year delay. The investigation that began in 2017 was extremely ineffective; evidence was not collected or requested, expert examinations were not ordered, and so on. A real investigation started in 2026. I hope that the Ministry of Internal Affairs will fulfill the promises, which means a swift and effective investigation of this case,” Kakabadze states.

He also commented on the appearance of Dadianidze’s father and aunt at the protest rally.

“For months they had not been in contact with me; they were not speaking to me. Moreover, when I stated that I wished to see the aunt, she did not want a meeting or conversation with me. Today, however, it was completely unexpected to see them; they joined the rally, though I had no communication or conversation with them. I declare my readiness to meet both them and other persons who until now had not been cooperating with the investigation, those who until now had been avoiding it. Quite a few people were occupied not with establishing the truth but with criticizing me for attempting to establish the truth; I have seen a changed position toward me from several of them. It would be good if everyone, instead of obstructing, started cooperating. I am involved in this case only with good intentions – to help a grief-stricken mother and the public that is interested in this case,” Kakabadze states.

For reference: today, near the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the mother and family of Guram Dadianidze, who disappeared 12 years ago, held a rally. They are demanding a swift investigation of the case. One of the main demands of Dadianidze’s mother was also the transfer of the case to the Tbilisi police, which has been granted. As for the case itself, 17-year-old Guram Dadianidze disappeared in 2014. He was on an excursion in the village of Kvemo Mleta in Dusheti district on the day of the Lomisi festival. The case is still considered unsolved, as no trace of Guram Dadianidze has been found. The mother of the missing boy, Sopho Bibilashvili, continues to this day to ask for help in finding her son.